LeBron James and Michael Jordan are often clubbed as the GOATs of basketball.
Despite coming straight out of high school, LeBron James had already earned comparisons to none other than Michael Jordan.
Over the years, the two legends have often been compared due to the GOAT debate. Initially, Jordan had a massive lead, but LBJ has slowly closed the gap between him and the Chicago Bulls legend.
Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty ImagesWhat Michael Jordan said about an 18-year-old LeBron James
Ahead of the 2003 NBA Draft, where James would eventually be picked by the Cleveland Cavaliers as the No. 1 overall pick, Jordan was in the final season of his NBA career.
Evidently, fans were keen to know the then-Washington Wizards star’s thoughts on James as he was touted as the next big thing in the world of basketball.
“Is he capable? Yes. He has the skills that most 18-year-olds do not have. Now, if you equate that to playing in the league, I think he would be an average player in our league right now with the potential to be a better player,” Jordan said in 2003 (h/t ESPN).
The comment may seem harsh, but Jordan had a very good reason behind his ‘average player’ statement about an 18-year-old James.
“To say that he can step in at the same level as a Tracy McGrady or a Kobe Bryant would be unfair to LeBron James,” Mike explained.
Jordan was proven right as James averaged 20.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game during his rookie year.
On the other hand, Tracy McGrady led the league in scoring while Kobe Bryant was an All-NBA player as well as competing for the regular season MVP award.
LeBron James’ smart response to Michael Jordan’s statement
Photo by David Handschuh/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images
The media obviously wanted James’ response after Jordan’s ‘average player’ statement, potentially hoping for a clap back from the young prospect.
However, Bron took Jordan’s comments in a positive way and simultaneously hailed the 6x NBA champion as the GOAT.
“Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player ever and … if anybody in the world can criticize somebody, it can be Michael Jordan.
“There’s no way I’m going to get mad at Michael Jordan criticizing me. There’s no way. Michael Jordan is like a dad,” James stated.
He concluded, stating: “If Michael Jordan is going to tell anybody to do something — the players, the media, the coaches — you should do it. Simple as that.”
Despite never disrespecting Jordan, the LA Lakers star has found himself painted as a villain due to the GOAT debate.
It’s something that Mike wants to change ahead of his stint as a special contributor with NBC Sports during the 2025-26 season.