LeBron vs. MJ: Who faced more obstacles in the NBA? Stephen A. & JJ Redick debate 🗣 | First Take

LeBron vs. MJ: Who faced more obstacles in the NBA? Stephen A. & JJ Redick debate 🗣 | First Take
Stephen A. Smith and JJ Redick react to Rich Paul saying LeBron James has faced more obstacles in the NBA than Michael Jordan.
#FirstTake #NBA

[robertleon]

They need to keep JJ this dude debating skills are off the chart. Really knowledgeable guy that actually makes sense when he speaks.

[somregularguy]

I love how JJ tackled this because he didn’t try to tear down Micheal he propped both of them up complementing Jordan saying how he did so much and elevated the bar so high yet LeBron was able to at least reach it, I hate the debates now a days because all they do is tear down the other

[duc]

This is EXACTLY what I’ve been saying for years, I just didn’t know how to put it into words. You CANNOT measure Lebron based on Jordan’s blueprint, if you’ve already decided that blueprint is the right way. It’s like measuring greatness based on a bird, but judging a dog for it. Both were great in different ways but if you’ve already DECIDED Jordan is the best, you will NEVER open your eyes and see that all this time you’ve been comparing Lebron to Jordan BASED on Jordan. Does that make sense? You’ve already decided everything Lebron does that isn’t like Jordan is wrong, not just in terms of play style but career paths, so you never allowed Lebron to be great in his own way in the first place, because you’ve already set it in your mind the only way to be great is Jordan’s way.

[derekchristensen]

I never understand the physicality argument. Wouldn't that play in Lebron's favor? He is 6:8 260 and one of the most athletic players ever. Wouldn't it be helpful if he could use those physical tools even more aggressively? Wouldn't that have helped him push steph and KD around more in the finals?

[bobbyshaw]

This has gotta be the most done to death debate in the the history of ESPN and social media

[wajhikhawaja]

That was the most logical MJ/Lebron conversation I have ever heard...

[blazer]

I think people underrate the fact that Lebron had to play half of his finals vs the GSW warriors, and almost beat the 2015 warriors without Kevin love or Kyrie who were both injured

[luccaventurini]

LeBron faced the Spurs 3 times in the Finals and GSW 4 times. MJ never had to face a team like that

[Greego]

JJ is just so elegant with his breakdown. His delivery and intelligence just oozes out with his analysis of the game.

[johnnull]

Stephen A. Smith and JJ has some of the best NBA talks in recent times

[DrDoctorDr]

I actually think the modern rules work against LBJ. The amount of times he gets called for a charge for just blasting the defender away when he dips his shoulder. He would just steamroll everyone in the 90s

[chrisrobinson]

The Bulls won 55 games and went to the conference finals after Jordan left the first time, when Lebron left the Cavs the won 19 games...

[solitudeparade]

Thank god, I was really curious to hear ESPNs take on MJ vs Lebron. Really glad they finally decided to take on this often-ignored topic.

[iTrumx]

JJ Redick is such a good addition to the show!! I find myself actually finishing whole entire segments which has been rare as of late.

[luisln]

Stephen ended the debate well at the end. He gave both of them props for their greatness.

[williamgolston]

People totally rely on physicality and COMPLETELY forget that Jordan played in an era of THE GREATEST interior players of all time. That era of bigs has the most Hall of Famers of ALL TIME, and to be a perimeter player and STILL dominate as Jordan did with the aerial assault he had was unparalleled.

[rohanchaurasia]

Kobe deserves more respect for what he did, in literally the toughest time to play basketball. Like the guy averaged 35 smack dab in the middle of the 2000s against some of the most defensive teams ever.

[AceTheCap]

Lebron had a tougher time in the finals, MJ had a tougher time on the way to the finals….Lebron for the second half of his career played in a notably more offensively skilled league while MJ had to play in an era where the rules made perimeter scoring much harder….MJ didn’t have the benefit of today’s technology, training, and resources whereas Bron has to deal with today’s media cycle and distractions….etc etc, both had a very tough road to greatness but imma give MJ the slight edge

[jtors]

If you take a look at the playoffs and finals for MJ, you will see Craig Ehlo, Danny Ainge, Dan Majerle, 175 lb Kevin Johnson, Horacek. Lots of slow and bad guards back then with no zone defense. Take a look at Ehlo guarding MJ 1v1 for basically an entire series. Even Dumars are the size of Steph curry, but MJ lost to him most of the time. Peyton did not even guard MJ until it was too late in the Sonic’s series

[adrienkrebs]

- Stephen A: Jordan had a tougher road
- JJ: actually, here’s why Lebron may have had a tougher road
- Stephen A: let me respond to that and elevate my game by not responding and going off-topic