LeBron James keeps breaking records and dominating, and by doing so, he is getting closer to Michael Jordan and his legacy. Jordan is considered the greatest player of all time, and even though many fans refuse to admit it, James is very close to surpassing him and he might achieve it by the end of his career. Larry Bird, who played against Jordan for a few seasons, compared these two amazing players, and said that James is close to the greatest NBA player.
Jordan's biggest advantage over LeBron is his performance in NBA finals. The former Chicago Bull never lost a finals series and he won six championship rings, leading his team to two three-peats during his prime.
On the other side, James has reached the final stage seven times in his career and he's won three championships so far.
Larry Bird says LeBron is close to Jordan
Larry Bird and Michael Jordan played 29 games against each other, with Bird winning more games. Boston Celtics were one of the toughest teams in the NBA when Jordan entered the league, and he had troubles beating them.
Over the course of eight years, Bird beat Jordan 17 times and he lost 12 games against him. From the statistical perspective, Jordan was a much better scorer as he averaged 33.3 points per game against Bird. On the other side, Bird was a better rebounder and ball distributor.
Bird on LeBron: "I don't think he's Michael Jordan, but you can put him up there close to him."
— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) May 1, 2017
These two players know each other very well as they also met in the playoffs, where Bird won all six games against Jordan.
When he compared LeBron James to his former opponent, Larry Bird stated that James is not Jordan, but that he is very close to him. This is high praise for LeBron considering it comes from one of the greatest players to ever play in the NBA.
Will LeBron surpass Jordan?
LeBron James is only 32 years old, yet he is already being compared to the greatest player of all time.
If his career keeps going the way it's been going for the past few years, there is no doubt that James has a good chance of surpassing Michael Jordan. However, to be considered the greatest player in NBA history, LeBron will have to win at least one more championship ring, and that is something he could achieve very soon.
Both Jordan and James are fantastic players, but LeBron is arguably the greatest all-around player of all time.
His versatile skills make him deadly in every situation and he can impact the game in a lot more ways than Jordan could. Beside being a great scorer, James is a decent rebounder and the best passing small forward in NBA history.
