The debate on the greatest of all time in basketball has been going on for quite a long time. It is difficult to figure out who is the greatest of all time because of the criteria; nobody knows how to judge all the players equally. Michael Jordan, Lebron James, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Steph Curry, and Kobe Bryant are the most significant players who have ever played basketball; they are familiar contenders for the greatest of all time because they have had such great success in their NBA careers. Michael Jordan has had 6 NBA championships, six finals MVPs, 5 NBA MVPs, 14 NBA all-star appearances, 9 NBA all-defensive teams, and 10 all-first teams. Some of Lebron James’s accomplishments are four NBA MVP awards, four Finals MVP awards, the Rookie of the Year award, three All-Star Game MVP awards, the inaugural NBA Cup MVP, the Olympics MVP in the 2024 Summer Olympics, and the all-time leading scorer. These two players are considered the two contenders for being the greatest of all time. Even though people like Kobe Bryant, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, and Stephan Curry have some significant accomplishments, such as being the best 3-point shooter of all time, one of the best centers of all time, and one of the best shooting guards of all time. Michael Jordan has had more championships in fewer tries than LeBron James. Still, he had four rings with stiffer competition, such as the 2006 San Antonio Spurs led by Tim Duncan and the 2016 Warriors led by Kevin Durant and Steph Curry. Michael Jordan has nine more All-Defensive teams, while LeBron has the all-time leading scorer title. Michael Jordan has 32,292 points, while LeBron has over 50,000 points and counting.
It is clear that these two players have awe-inspiring achievements and seem to be equal basketball players, but off the court, they are entirely different. Michael Jordan’s net worth is 3.5 billion dollars. His shoe brand has made 7 billion in total, and he has significant ownership of the Charlotte Hornets, a prominent NBA team. Lebron James’s net worth is 1.2 billion dollars, and his shoe brand has made 340 million. Michael Jordan’s business is better than Lebron James’s business. Michael Jordan has made more money with his shoes than Lebron James, and his net worth demonstrates that on the business side of things, Michael Jordan is superior, but due to the age gap between Michael Jordan and him, he still has time to catch up to him. Even though Michael Jordan is superior in business when we are talking about basketball ability and their effect on the modern game of basketball, Lebron James has the upper hand due to his more modern play style, the impact he has on his teammates, how people look up to him, and how long he has been able to keep up his ability to be the best scorer in the league. These characteristics can make a player have a much more significant impact in basketball and make the difference between winning and losing a game.
Beyond being the best players on the court and the contributions to their separate business, both Michael Jordan and LeBron James have impressive achievements off the court in different ways. Michael Jordan has focused chiefly on charity through donations and has committed to donating 100 million to racial and social justice. He has also donated to charities through the Jordan brand, helping underprivileged youth gain access to school and sports programs. At the same time, LeBron James has been more focused on social and political subjects. He has also founded the “ I PROMISE” school, which helps out-at-risk children by providing education and resources. Although Michael Jordan’s social impact has been more behind the scenes, LeBron has proved to be the leader in basketball and social activism, adding another aspect to the GOAT debate beyond basketball.
