LeBron James Is Better Than Michael Jordan

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Jun 19, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) celebrates with the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy after beating the Golden State Warriors in game seven of the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports /

Legacy

Legacy is one of those ideas painted by perspective. Michael Jordan and his perfect 6-0 NBA Finals record with 30-plus point scoring averages and all-around dominance has achieved mythical status.

It’s like a tall tale that grows with each passing year nobody reaches that 6-0 mark yet it’s really an analysis on Jordan’s accomplishments. Not his game and the context of everything in comparing the past to the present. What you just read in this was that.

In a cult, your leader might be great but when has anybody who ever became beloved been judged based on all facts? Michael Jordan is a cult hero and his cult is worldwide.

In their view, Michael Jordan is the greatest ever and there is no debate, and that’s their reason for why there’s no debate. Though it goes unnoticed that Phil Jackson, Scottie Pippen and then Dennis Rodman were NBA legends without Michael Jordan and perhaps lent help to his greatness.

After the “Flu Game”, Jordan’s status as an NBA legend was virtually set as he looked like the part of a superhero overcoming all odds.

Since vilifying himself in Miami, LeBron is equal part cult hero and NBA villain. Calling him an all-time great is really a backhanded compliment to the only player who actually rivals Jordan’s talents, especially without mimicking his game almost at all save for his sweeping pull-ups from midrange and occasional post fadeaway.

LeBron is the NBA’s greatest active legend, premier player, star student and global ambassador. LeBron is also its favorite person to hate and hardest to accept because either he’s not as great as the best or better than the best.

Yet, LeBron is the proto-image of a family man, a loyal prodigal son who returned home to deliver a promise, and made history in a historical fashion to do so and it’s an achievement befitting of a crowning.

LeBron’s legacy is tied into all the extreme highs and lows. The Decision to The Return. 2011 against Dallas to 2016 against Golden State. How could one player fill up the entirety of a spectrum with his play?

It’s simple, they all do, but LeBron gets no pass and not because people don’t understand, but because they don’t want to. What LeBron is, is the greatest talent to play the game of basketball.

Now with a mythical career achievement of his own our minds will allow us to compare the two more daily based on their play because the mythical quality of their legacy is now equal.

By becoming an entire city’s savior and coming from down 3-1 to beat a legendary team, he looked the part of a superhero overcoming all odds.

Next: In The Final Analysis