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What does LeBron need to do to surpass Jordan?

spycam1

spycam1

Well-Known Member
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What would it take for LeBron to become the consensus GOAT the way Jordan is now?

I think LeBron is obviously a lock to pass Jordan in statistical categories like career points scored, assists, etc. He will probably even get more MVP awards (Jordan got 5, LeBron currently has 4). But I think we can all agree that it'll come down to the amount of rings he wins.

My take: LeBron either needs to win 5 Championships in a row, or he needs to win 7 total (6 MIGHT do it).

What say you?
 
Just needs to get better at shooting, then everything else should fall into place (more titles, more MVPs, more gay 'clutch' pts in the eyes of the pundits, etc.)
 
prolly nothin he can do to attain jordan status, tbh. a huge reason jordan is JORDAN is cuz basketball boomed in popularity at around the same time, endorsements/money became huge factors, and the sport/industry was revolutionized forever. Jordan helped put the NBA on the map, and made basketball a global game. Gatorade. Nike. Air Jordans. LBJ will never be able to build a legacy like MJ did with those brands. LeBron can only build upon it. People will make the case he was a better basketball player than MJ if he wins some more titles, but he'll likely never be unanimous/consensus GOAT. Maybe in basketball circles people will give him GOAT status, but he'll never be like mike in the court of (casual fan) public opinion--which is the majority. Jordan was a great player, but he also had the great fortune of being in the right place at the right time. Maybe if he wins just an obscene number of titles, 8+.
 
HeavenHarris said:
prolly nothin he can do to attain jordan status, tbh. a huge reason jordan is JORDAN is cuz basketball boomed in popularity at around the same time, endorsements/money became huge factors, and the sport/industry was revolutionized forever. Jordan helped put the NBA on the map, and made basketball a global game. Gatorade. Nike. Air Jordans. LBJ will never be able to build a legacy like MJ did with those brands. LeBron can only build upon it. People will make the case he was a better basketball player than MJ if he wins some more titles, but he'll likely never be unanimous/consensus GOAT. Maybe in basketball circles people will give him GOAT status, but he'll never be like mike in the court of (casual fan) public opinion--which is the majority. Jordan was a great player, but he also had the great fortune of being in the right place at the right time. Maybe if he wins just an obscene number of titles, 8+.
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Damn fine post.
 
Jordan was better looking. Hard to compete with that.

Serious answer, helps with the endorsement deals.
 
I don't think rings has as much to do with who is goat as people make it seem. Jordan isn't goat if you go by rings.

No one has ever dominated quite like Mike. The insane talent that was playing during his era is a stage that Lebron will never have the opportunity to prove himself on.
 
spycam1 said:
What would it take for LeBron to become the consensus GOAT the way Jordan is now?

I think LeBron is obviously a lock to pass Jordan in statistical categories like career points scored, assists, etc. He will probably even get more MVP awards (Jordan got 5, LeBron currently has 4).

What say you?
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...first of all, Michael Jordan IS NOT the greatest player of all time. To be the greatest of all time he'd have to have the most championship rings. He doesn't....not even close! Bill Russell has the most rings. (11 or 12?) To be the greatest of all time he'd have to be the leader in key statistical categories both in a season and for a career. He doesn't. Wilt Chamberlain, Jabbar and Karl Malone have him beat in all statistical categories both seasonal and career. Now, James as you pointed out, should have no problem topping Jordan in personal stats. I doubt, however, he will beat him in Championships.....and catching Russell in that area? Throw it out of your mind! Unless James teams up with Durant and Westbrook (extremely doubtful!) after the Heat disintegrate from aging and a lack of talent this year, James will make some finals but will most likely not win more than 1 more.
 
Nothing. no matter what bron does Jordan was a better overall player. better scorer, better winner, better defender, more clutch. and overall skill sets - it's not really comparable.

but bron could be #2 all time if he keeps this up for another 5-6 years.
 
carolinajazz said:
...first of all, Michael Jordan IS NOT the greatest player of all time. To be the greatest of all time he'd have to have the most championship rings. He doesn't....not even close! Bill Russell has the most rings. (11 or 12?) To be the greatest of all time he'd have to be the leader in key statistical categories both in a season and for a career. He doesn't. Wilt Chamberlain, Jabbar and Karl Malone have him beat in all statistical categories both seasonal and career. Now, James as you pointed out, should have no problem topping Jordan in personal stats. I doubt, however, he will beat him in Championships.....and catching Russell in that area? Throw it out of your mind! Unless James teams up with Durant and Westbrook (extremely doubtful!) after the Heat disintegrate from aging and a lack of talent this year, James will make some finals but will most likely not win more than 1 more.
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that's retarded championship is a team accomplishment. and who gives a crap about career stats? so is kobe better than jordan because of career stats? lol

put jordan in 60's - i can't imagine how badly he would own the league. and how many teams were there in 60's?

Jordan was simply the greatest because he is the greatest player. just watch the tape and he is just clearly better than everybody else. dude was unreal.
 
Lebron could have a better overall career. but he will never be better than jordan. bron can't touch jordan's peak.

i firmly believe if Jordan played in this soft era with no hand check allowed, he would no doubt avg 40pt in his peak. just imagine how many FTs he will shoot every damn night
 
HeavenHarris said:
prolly nothin he can do to attain jordan status, tbh. a huge reason jordan is JORDAN is cuz basketball boomed in popularity at around the same time, endorsements/money became huge factors, and the sport/industry was revolutionized forever. Jordan helped put the NBA on the map, and made basketball a global game. Gatorade. Nike. Air Jordans. LBJ will never be able to build a legacy like MJ did with those brands. LeBron can only build upon it. People will make the case he was a better basketball player than MJ if he wins some more titles, but he'll likely never be unanimous/consensus GOAT. Maybe in basketball circles people will give him GOAT status, but he'll never be like mike in the court of (casual fan) public opinion--which is the majority. Jordan was a great player, but he also had the great fortune of being in the right place at the right time. Maybe if he wins just an obscene number of titles, 8+.
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I feel similarly, that's why I said either 5 straight or 7 total.

I don't think the public opinion is unchangeable. If LeBron does win 7 titles or something, and people like Charles Barkley start calling him the GOAT, people will take notice, and many people's opinion's will start morphing. Casual fans are just sheep, after all.

For the record, if I had to predict, I'd guess that LeBron goes down as #2 all time. But I don't think it's impossible for him to become the best basketball player ever in most people's minds, even if it is impossible for him to reach the level "stardom" from endorsement deals, putting basketball on the map, and so on, as you described.
 
Dont tell this to Thriller, guy thinks LeBron is already better.

LeBron needed a team of Wade and Bosh to win his chips. His teams struggled against a retitement home caliber Celtics in the ECF, and LeBron needed the heroics of Ray Allen to get his ring last year.

Jordan had Pip and odman. Also had Phil Jack.. whom only coached teams who donned superstar players. I mean all in all.. who really knows. LeBron has owned the 2k era of basketball, but how would he have fared in the 90s with tougher rules, and a less subliminal referee roster.
 
I think what he needs is game winners. He does last second heroics his reputation will increase. I mean he does good decision making late in the game, seeing the better positioned player and passing him a sweet pass that allows muscle memory C&S mechanics. But kids don't like passing, they like scoring ;)
 
heyhey said:
No one has ever dominated quite like Mike. The insane talent that was playing during his era is a stage that Lebron will never have the opportunity to prove himself on.
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I would argue that the NBA is more talented today than it was 20 years ago, to the degree that Jordan would not stand out in the same way if he played today. By contrast, in the 60s and 70s there were many players who dominated, a few even more so than Jordan.
 
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