LeBron James is the greatest basketball player of all time. The conversation of who the GOAT of basketball is has really come down to two players, Michael Jordan and LeBron James. And between those two guys LeBron is the better player.

LeBron early in his career.

Comparison of Individual Ability

LeBron James is a much better all around player than Jordan. He is a better passer and rebounder than Jordan as he averages more assists and more rebounds than Jordan does. LeBron is also a much more efficient scorer than Jordan. He has a higher field goal percentage along with a higher 2 point percentage and 3 point percentage. He is also a more versatile defender. Because of his 6 foot 9 height and 250 pound frame he has the ability to guard all 5 positions on the court, something Jordan could not do.

LeBron also statistically blows Jordan out of the water. He averages more assists and rebounds per game, he has a higher field goal percentage, has a higher 3 point percentage, and he has more win shares. He also has more all time points, rebounds, assists and blocks. Along with having more of everything in the playoffs than Jordan. 

Ability To Carry A Team/ Value to a Team

LeBron James has also shown the ability to carry a team by himself without other star help further than Jordan ever could. Without a second star LeBron has carried a team to the Finals twice. Most notably in 2007, where In the third year of his career he led the Cavs with no other All-Stars whose second leading scorer was Larry Hughes to the NBA Finals.

And in 2018 he carried yet another team with no other All-Stars to the Finals. The teams second best player was an old Kevin Love. Before Michael Jordan got Scottie Pippen he had a record of 1-9 in the playoffs. LeBron is also more valuable to a team. When Jordan retired for the first time after the 1993 season the Bulls went from 57 wins to 55 wins. When LeBron left the Cavaliers in 2010 they went from 61 wins to 19 wins. And when LeBron left the Cavs the second time in 2018 they went from 50 wins to 19 wins.

Longevity

Another reason LeBron is better is because of his longevity. Going into year 19 he is continuing to do things no other NBA great has ever been able to do. Last season (His 18th NBA season) he averaged 25 Points 8 Rebounds and 8 assists per game, while also shooting 51% from the field. He was also an All-Star Starter and made Second Team All-NBA. And before getting injured on March 21st he was a top 5 MVP candidate.

This level of play of play at age 36 and year 18 is completely unprecedented when comparing it to other all time greats. Jordan retired after his 15th year in the league and if we compare his last year to LeBron’s most recent season it is clear who the better player is late in their respective career’s. LeBron averaged more points, rebounds, assists and shot a higher Field Goal percentage, along with making an All-NBA team, while Jordan did not in year 15. And if we compare LeBron to Kareem-Abdul Jabbar, the player who has always been the gold standard for sustaining great longevity and late career success, LeBron is the more productive player late in his career. Year 18 LeBron Averaged more Assists and Rebounds and 7 more points than year 18 Kareem.

Debunking Final’s Losses Argument

The most most common argument used against LeBron in the GOAT debate is his Finals record. For years people have been bringing up his finals record (which is now 4-6), as a way to discredit LeBron’s GOAT case. Without any context this looks like a bad stat, but what people who use this argument are actually doing is punishing LeBron for winning. If somone says it would be better for LeBrons legacy if he had less finals losses and his finals record was 4-0 instead of 4-6 then what they are saying is that it would be better if LeBron had lost earlier in the playoffs, or not made the playoffs at all.

A 4-6 finals record is much more impressive than a 4-0 finals record. A 4-6 means you’ve made the finals 10 times and won 4 championships. 4-0 means you’ve made the finals just 4 times and won 4 championships. The difference between 4-0 and 4-6 is that the guy with a 4-6 Finals record has made the finals 6 more times than the guy with a 4-0 finals record. Meaning he has won much more than the guy with a 4-0 finals record. But Critics’s of LeBron always seem to forget this and they just say 4-6 without any context. Just to push an easy narrative to try and unfairly discredit LeBron.

Clutch Ability

 Despite all of his success, despite LeBron leading a team to a championship and winning his 4th finals MVP at age 35, despite the fact that LeBron has made more Finals appearances than 27 NBA franchises. He still remains one of the most hated players in the game today. We’ve all heard it before. Countless NBA analysts, former players and even Cavaliers Owner Dan Gilbert trying to diminish LeBron’s legacy through for the most part untruthful and unfair criticism.

A common and ongoing criticism of his career has been the “LeBron isn’t clutch” argument. This critique has to be one of if not the most laughable narrative’s in basketball history as it is just simply false. LeBron isn’t just a decent clutch player or a very good clutch player. LeBron is one of if not the clutchest player in NBA History. He has hit the most playoff buzzer beaters in NBA history with 5. He has the same amount of playoff buzzers by himself as Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant have combined. And in game 7’s when the pressure is on the most… you guessed it he is incredible. 

He is 6-2 all time in games 7’s and his game 7 averages are 35 Points, 10 Rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals and 1 block per game. While averaging 46 minutes per game.

Bringing a Championship to Cleveland

LeBron also led the greatest comeback in NBA finals history. Down 3-1 on the road to the 73 win Golden State Warriors lead by that year’s Unanimous MVP Steph Curry there was no room for error for the Cleveland Cavaliers or else their season would be over. Luckily for the Cavs they had the Greatest Player ever at the absolute peak of his powers and he did not disappoint. 

LeBron went on to play 3 near perfect games of basketball. In game 5 he scored for 41 points, 16 rebounds and 7 assists. Many critics pointed to the fact that the Warriors best defensive player Draymond Green had been suspended for that game and he would have done something to slow down LeBron. Well in game 6 with Draymond playing LeBron had another 41 points along with 11 assists and 8 rebounds. And that brings us to game 7.

Surely the Warriors will win. After all they are at home. And they are the team that won the record setting 73 regular season games this season. And surely LeBron can’t get it done for his team in the clutch, when it matters most. In game 7 of the NBA Finals on the road facing the greatest regular season team of all time. A team who had 3 future hall of famers. And the only ever Unanimous MVP in NBA history. Surely LeBron can’t do this. No player has ever done something like this, not even Michael Jordan.

But LeBron James is not like any player ever. And in Game 7 LeBron James had a triple double with 27 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists. Along with the iconic chase down block on Andre Iguodala to stop the Warriors from taking the lead late in the game. And with the Cavs up by 3 with 10 seconds left and LeBron at the free throw line with one shot left, he sinks the free thow to put the Cavs up by 4. Sealing the game and bringing the Cleveland Cavaliers their first championship in franchise history. Capping off the greatest comeback in NBA history led by the greatest player in NBA history.

Jersey Column

2 thoughts on “Why LeBron James is the GOAT of Basketball.”

  1. Seriously? Russell is #1 by a LONG shot. Russell was the best player on 11 championship teams. There is no argument.

    Here are the top 5….

    1. Bill Russell — by far the best player on 11 , Eleven, (Ten plus one) title teams, 22.5 rebounds/game CAREER… Are you kidding me?
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    2. LeBron James — Not even in the same galaxy as Russell.
    3. Michael Jordan — Very close to LeBron due to more championships (6 vs. 4) yet LeBron is better due to balanced play.
    4. Kareem — No explanation needed.
    5. Bird.

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