Michael Jordan and LeBron James have long dominated basketball’s GOAT debate.
Regarded as two of the greatest NBA players of all time, the pair ruled in different generations.
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MJ and LeBron are often compared by NBA fans in the GOAT debateCredit: Getty
MJ was at the peak of his powers in the 1990s, winning six championships with the Chicago Bulls.
‘King James’ entered The Association in 2003, and has dominated the decades since.
While only four stars had the privilege to play alongside both of them as a teammate, plenty came up against the imposing pair.
Ray Allen was one of those people.
An legend in his own right, the Hall of Famer played for 19 years in the NBA, earning over $184 million.
Allen represented the Milwaukee Bucks after entering as the fifth overall pick in 1996, before turning out for the Seattle SuperSonics, Boston Celtics and Miami Heat.
During his time with The Cs, Allen became immortal, breaking Reggie Miller’s all-time 3-point record in 2011 after securing glory in the NBA Finals three years prior alongside Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce.
But it was with the Heat that he won his second NBA championship, joining LeBron’s superteam that also boasted Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.
In the years prior to that, he came up against James while playing for both Seattle and Boston, and had to contend against MJ during his first few years with the Bucks.
Given he has shared the court with both, Allen provides an interesting insight into the never ending ‘GOAT’ debate.
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Allen won the second of his two championships alongside LeBronCredit: Getty
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He also played against LeBron and MJ, and believes one was better than the otherCredit: Getty
And while he won a championship with LeBron, it’s Jordan who takes the crown in his eyes.
“I think (James) is certainly in the top five of all time,” Allen said, during a recent interview with Dan Patrick.
“But playing against him and MJ, I think for me it’s MJ all day long.
“MJ just had everything, from mid-range to 3-point to post-up game, and he could score and dominate in each position.”
Allen was then asked if James is a better ‘all round player’ than Jordan as a follow up.
He continued: “That’s hard to say. LeBron is probably one of the best passers the league has seen.
“MJ, that was probably the weakest part of his game, he didn’t pass a lot. But at the same time, MJ didn’t have any other weaknesses to his game.
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Allen believes there was no weakness to MJ’s game, offensively or defensivelyCredit: Getty
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Allen, a two-time NBA champion, believes MJ was better than LeBronCredit: Getty
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He played both with, and against, James during his time in the leagueCredit: Getty
“He was a two-way player. Defensively, he was incredible and just as dominant.”
The debate will rage on, regardless of how many other legends share their thoughts on MJ and LeBron.
But it is almost impossible to separate the two.
James’ longevity has allowed him to surpass Jordan in essentially every meaningful category in which they are compared, and he has smashed his rival’s records both in the regular season and the postseason.
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He will enter his 23rd year in 2025, at the age of 40. Jordan, meanwhile, played a total of 15 seasons.
But MJ did rack up five MVP awards alongside his six championships, besting LeBron in both of those accolades.
The LA Lakers star currently has four MVP awards and four titles to his name, though he has recently hit out at the NBA’s ‘ring culture’ — so perhaps that shouldn’t be a deciding factor.
But fans — and former stars alike — will find plenty of other ways to compare the two.
And even though LeBron helped Allen win his second championship, the Hall of Famer still sides with MJ.