Ahead of Los Angeles Lakers All-Star LeBron James' 23rd NBA season, Hall of Fame guard Magic Johnson weighed in on the biggest GOAT debate in basketball — Michael Jordan or LeBron? Johnson is one of the greatest Lakers in franchise history. Still, he didn't side with James, who led Los Angeles to its 17th championship in 2020. Magic listed Jordan over James.
Johnson, who lost to Jordan and the Chicago Bulls, 4-1, in the 1991 NBA Finals, says James is elite, but he's no MJ, he said, per the Earn Your Leisure podcast.
“I’m always going to be honest with myself. The only thing I beat Michael in is them no-look passes and leadership. Ain’t no question,” Johnson said. “Just like it ain’t no question what he going to do to me — dunks and all that. But that’s what makes him a bad boy. The best that’s ever done it. Don’t get it twisted — I love LeBron. But… [laughs] When Michael Jordan took off with that tongue out? Man.
“Listen, a lot of you weren’t born then — 1991, against my Lakers. Right hand — we thought we had him. Then he looked at us mid-air, switched it to the left. Tongue out. Glass. Bucket. Nobody alive has been able to do that. That boy is too bad. I’m telling you. But yeah — LeBron is a bad boy, too. But he’s not Michael,” Johnson concluded.
After Jordan beat the Lakers to earn his first championship, he'd go on to win two more, beating the Portland Trail Blazers, 4-2, in 1992, and the Phoenix Suns, 4-2, in 1993.
Charles Barkley on how Lakers' LeBron James isn't Michael Jordan
Hall of Fame forward Charles Barkley, who lost the NBA Finals to Michael Jordan and the Bulls in 1993, explained why Lakers' LeBron James is no Jordan. Barkley says Jordan's killer instinct differed from James' and that Hall of Fame guard Kobe Bryant had the same approach as MJ.
While Barkley still considers James to be one of the NBA's greatest players, Jordan and Bryant's cold-hearted demeanor is what separated them from the pack, he said, per the Bill Simmons Podcast.
“The three best players I’ve ever seen were, Michael, Kobe, and LeBron,” Barkley said. “And I’ll tell you the difference in the three. Michael and Kobe are dangerous, they will kill your a–. LeBron’s a nice guy. And that’s not a knock. He’s still great, great, great, but he’s a nice guy.”
Barkley also sees shades of James in Oklahoma City Thunder champion Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
