The debate between Michael Jordan and LeBron James is as played out as any in professional sports, but with the latter still active in the NBA, the “GOAT” conversation remains relevant and dynamic. Jordan’s longtime agent, David Falk, fanned the flames when he ranked a handful of the most prominent NBA players of all time and slotted James behind Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Kobe Bryant.
Falk took a dig at James’ free agency moves, which placed him on championship-contending teams with star-studded supporting casts. From Miami’s Big Three to James’ pairings with Kyrie Irving in Cleveland and Anthony Davis in Los Angeles, the 40-year-old never lacked talent around him in his NBA Finals-winning seasons.
“I really like LeBron,” Falk said at a Sports Business Journal conference. “But I think if Jordan had cherry-picked what teams he wanted to be on and two other superstars, he would’ve won 15 championships.”
James hit the unrestricted free agency market three times in his career and generated sweepstakes in each instance. His move in 2010 to join the Heat, dubbed “The Decision” remains a seminal moment in NBA history. Jordan, meanwhile, spent nearly the entirety of his career with the Chicago Bulls, only ever suiting up for a different franchise after his return from retirement in 2001.
Falk said he would “probably” include James on his personal ranking of the top 10 players in NBA history. Jordan was, unsurprisingly, his pick as the greatest of all time while he placed Abdul-Jabbar and Bryant in a tie for the No. 2 spot.
Falk represented many of the NBA’s most prominent players in league history, Jordan included. He oversaw Jordan’s landmark shoe deal with Nike, marketed him as the face of the league throughout his legendary career with the Bulls and represented him through his retirement as arguably the greatest basketball player the world has ever known.
The Jordan-James debate is a polarizing one that highlights the remarkable achievements both notched throughout their respective careers as transcendent sports figures. Jordan holds the head-to-head edge in team accomplishments with his six NBA championships, but James’ longevity as a more than two decades-long mainstay in the league makes him the more decorated player on an individual level.
James two seasons ago passed Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. He also holds the record for most minutes played in a career and is the league leader in All-Star selections with 21. Jordan, however, boasts the MVP advantage with five trophies to James’ four.
