The continuing debate about whether or not Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James measures up to legendary Chicago Bulls Hall of Famer Michael Jordan as the greatest basketball player of all-time is an argument seemingly without end. The latest to weigh in with his opinion is media pundit Nick Wright, who managed to make his case for James in just over a minute.
Wright’s comments came on the FS1 morning show “First Things First” in the wake of James matching Jordan in the category of NBA games played at 1,072.
LeBron is better than Jordan. @getnickwright settles the argument in 79 seconds pic.twitter.com/Ud5MtfSbQS
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) November 8, 2017
“LeBron James is a better perimeter shooter. LeBron James is a better passer. LeBron James is a better rebounder. LeBron James is a more efficient scorer. LeBron James is a more versatile defender. LeBron James is also the more valuable player,” Wright said. “When LeBron left the Cavs the first time, they got the No. 1 pick in the draft the next year. When LeBron James left the [Miami] Heat, they went from four straight Finals to out of the playoffs. When Jordan left the Bulls, they went from 57 wins to 55 wins. LeBron’s the more durable player. He’s never been injured. LeBron’s the more consistent player, he didn’t need a couple of years playing baseball and then have a second retirement afterwards. He’s just going to seven straight Finals — gonna make it eight straight Finals.
“They have now played the exact same number of games. LeBron has more rebounds, he has more assists, he has a better shooting percentage, a better three-point shooting percentage, he’s a better value-over-replacement player, he’s a better box score plus-minus. Jordan has taken more shots, and therefore, he has scored more points. LeBron James, better basketball than Michael Jordan. I understand that people don’t want to get it because they love the six-rings argument, but LeBron James is flatly better.”
The remarks will no doubt enrage those Bulls fans who cheered for Jordan as well as basketball fans whose memories of Jordan still linger. However, the “six-rings argument” that Wright references is still a work-in-progress for James, who currently has three in his possession. James turns 33 at the end of next month, which still gives him a number of years to match that accomplishment and perhaps end the argument once and for all.
