King James Gospel
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23 Reasons Why LeBron James Is Better Than Michael Jordan

By Sam Beech

June 19, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) leaves the media press conference following the 93-89 victory against the Golden State Warriors in game seven of the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
June 19, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) leaves the media press conference following the 93-89 victory against the Golden State Warriors in game seven of the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 19, 2014; Cleveland, OH, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard (2) defends Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) in the third quarter at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 19, 2014; Cleveland, OH, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard (2) defends Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) in the third quarter at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports /

Regular Season Reasons Round 2

  1. Value Over Replacement Player (VORP)

This is probably the most complex, but arguably most telling, stat on the list. VORP is an estimate of the points per 100 team possessions that a player contributed above a replacement-level player, translated to an average team and prorated to an 82-game season. James and Jordan again are the top two all-time, with James having the overall record.

LeBron 115.0, Jordan 104. 4

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    1. Triple-doubles

    Many who oppose Russell Westbrook as this year’s MVP have downplayed the importance of notching a triple-double. But there’s no denying that such a stat line is impressive. James has nearly twice as many triple-doubles as Jordan, perhaps illustrating his more versatile offensive game.

    LeBron 52, Jordan 28

    1. Effective field-goal percentage

    These next two statistics are a reflection of how advanced shooting statistics have become. Effective field-goal percentage is basically an adjusted field percentage, that accounts for the fact that a three-pointer is worth 50% more than a two-pointer—and weighs it accordingly. It thus diminishes the value of three-point shooting on overall field goal percentage, resulting in a higher percentage (usually). The adjustment, in this case, results in a big gap between James and Jordan.

    LeBron 53.6%, Jordan 50.9%

    1. True-shooting percentage

    This is a shooting statistic that takes into account not just twos and threes, but also free throw attempts. While Jordan has an edge in foul shooting, James has still has an edge into this advanced statistic.

    LeBron 58.4%, Jordan 56.9%

    1. Free Throw Attempt Rate (FTr)

    Free-throw rate measures how many free throws a player takes for every field goal he attempts. When comparing two similar-type players, this statistic can help show which player is more aggressive. Some experts say that Jordan was the more aggressive player. While this stat does not prove which one is more aggressive, James’ edge here at least is a strong rebuttal to the claim that he is unwilling to drive to the bucket and get fouled.

    LeBron .421, Jordan .358