It appears everyone has their own perspective to explore the GOAT debate between Michael Jordan and Lebron James, and from each point of view, they slightly favor the former rather than the latter.
Michael was hailed as “the greatest basketball player of all time” by the NBA itself. Even the generation that grew up watching him destroy opponents on the court could feel reluctant to discuss this further, especially after LeBron recently broke the all-time scoring record.
However, former Miami Heat star Mario Chalmers has explored a different perspective on the opponents’ mindset toward the two GOATs.
Who does Mario Chalmer favor in the GOAT debate?
The 36-year-old played four years alongside the four-time NBA champion and shared two back-to-back titles in the meantime. He had first-hand experience witnessing Lebron’s Karishma during plays, yet he still prefers Michael as the ultimate GOAT.
During ‘In Shambles’ podcast, the point guard pointed out the intimidation factor of these two legends and figured out that the six-time NBA champion is much more feared by his rivals. “You hear anybody from that era talking about going against Jordan? There’s a fear,” he said.
“Nobody fears Bron. Nobody is like, ‘damn, I gotta go up against Bron tonight,” Chalmers continued. “I don’t know why? I’ve seen people be scared when they actually line up to him. But they’re not scared thinking about that matchup.”
Chalmers on LeBron and mj pic.twitter.com/jfNcGZhWgF
— Dom2K 🏖🎃 (@Dom_2k) March 18, 2023
“So when you have people that fear a player, then that’s already telling you something different already. Jordan is just that guy,” the Greek Cup winner concluded.
It’s true that Jordan has that effect on his opponents, and he likes to play some mind games that tip the scales in their favor. With saying that, the 14-time NBA all-star had some pretty heavy firepower with him, including Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman. Without the three Musketeers, the Bulls couldn’t ever win the double three-peat in a single decade.
On the other hand, King James has the experience to adapt to any team situation and lead them with his individual ability. Even his opponents sometimes seem bamboozled watching the four-time NBA finals MVP’s maneuvering over the hardwood.
So, if we took the fear factor into consideration, Jordan has the upper hand on any given day. James may have many things in his bag, but putting fear in one’s mind is not his strongest suit.
What’s your opinion on the GOAT debate? Do you agree with Mario Chalmers? Let us know your opinions in the comments.
