All the hype surrounding the premiere of the highly-anticipated (and highly-rated) “The Last Dance” on ESPN Sunday night has the basketball community basking in a multiple-week appreciation of Michael Jordan's greatness. For many folks—especially on NBA Twitter—the first-hand look at Jordan's excellence and unmatched competitiveness the docu-series provides only reaffirm's Jordan's G.O.A.T. status over Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James.
Of course, in social media discourse, acknowledging Jordan as the greatest hooper of all-time can be perceived as a slight to James, who has long been an active threat to Jordan's G.O.A.T. label. (According to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne, Jordan green-lit Jason Hehir's 10-part docu-series on the same day of the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers championship parade. Coincidence? I think not.)
After noticing some online hate being thrown LeBron's way in the wake of the two-episode premiere of “The Last Dance” on Sunday, former NBA Finals MVP Chauncey Billups came to the defense of James. Billups rhetorically asked why the documentary “has brought on so much unwarranted, unnecessary hate” on LeBron, a four-time MVP and three-time champion. “Why cant people just enjoy the greatness of both guys”?
Even so, Billups did acknowledge that, in his opinion, MJ is the greatest basketball player of all-time, though LeBron “is on Mt. Rushmore EASY!!!!”
Why is it that The Last Dance has brought on so much unwarranted, unnecessary hate on @KingJames??
Why cant people just enjoy the greatness of both guys. I think MJ is the 🐐, but @KingJames is on Mt. Rushmore EASY!!!!— Chauncey Billups (@1MrBigShot) April 20, 2020
Interestingly, James—who wears no. 23 with the Lakers because of Jordan, one of his idols—has not publicly commented on the documentary yet, like so many of his peers in the NBA community, though I'm sure a lengthy and enthusiastic Instagram post is on the way.
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