Gary Payton weighs in on LeBron James vs. Michael Jordan comparison | First Take | ESPN

Gary Payton joins First Take and weighs in on the LeBron James vs. Michael Jordan comparison.

Get more ESPN on YouTube:

ESPN on Social Media:

Visit ESPN on YouTube to get up-to-the-minute sports news coverage, scores, highlights and commentary for NFL, NHL, MLB, NBA, College Football, NCAA Basketball, soccer and more.

[arto]

The only reason the "debate" exists is because we Still want Michael Jordan....and Still haven't found another one yet. And we never will. #legend

[victorortiz]

When Mike says "I got him Scottie." Something is about to go down.

[jaeful]

March 11, 1989 doug collins decided to put MJ in the point guard position against seattle. He finished that game with 15 assists, very next game MJ finished with 21/14/14 against the pacers in only 32 min of playing, he reached the triple double mark in just 21 min. MJ continued to play the PG position for the rest of the season in these 24 games he averaged 29.3PPG, 10.6APG, 8.9RPG 2.4SPG. March 24th-April 14th MJ recorded 10 triple doubles in 11 games, including 7 straight triple doubles. In the one game he didnt record a triple double he finished with 40/11/7. So imagine if Jordan chased stats instead of championships.

[kmaber]

Long after lebron retires, we are all gonna still be rocking Jordan brand. End of story goat

[Propa_Ganda]

I totally agree with GP on this .... The 2019 style of Basketball is totally soft

[dadihari]

The NBA is known in the world because of who? michael jordan.

[dgchannel]

They need to have Gary on more ESPN I love how he breaks down the basketball info the correct way .

[bonguhbong]

There’s been a lot of noise lately about LeBron perhaps passing Jordan as the G.O.A.T. There’s no doubt that LeBron is all-time great - in my opinion, there’s a solid argument that he might land at #2 on that list. But when the numbers are laid down, sorry kids...it ain’t close. From a post on KSR:

Jordan vs LeBron

Updated after Lebrons 14th season. Michael Jordan has:
•3 more rings
•3 more final mvps
•1 more DPOY
•1 more season MVP
•9 more scoring titles
•3 more steals leader
•3 more all defensive team selections
•4000 more points / bron moved past him in playoff points, but it took him longer.
•800 more steals
•Beat 20 50+ win teams in the playoffs (Lebron only defeated 10)
•Jordan never averaged less than 40% Field Goal in the finals
Lebron did it twice
•6/6 (never allowed a game 7)
•Lebron had much more offensive help, example:
Jordan never had a teammate average more than 22 points in the finals.. In fact, Mj is Only player in NBA history to lead a team to the championship with only one teammate averaging double figures in scoring
* In the Bulls’ 1997 playoff run, Scottie Pippen averaged 19 points per game on 42% shooting. All other teammates of Jordan averaged under 8 points per game
Kyrie averaged over 28 and DWade averaged more than 26
•MJ never ever had a finals meltdown like Lebron in 2011 against the Mavs
•MJ had more points in the playoffs in less games..
MJ accomplished all of this in 13 seasons
Lebron after his 14th season, is still chasing the “ghost (GOAT) that played in Chicago”
•Michael Jordan in the playoffs has put up atleast 40ppg, 5rpg, 5apg in 6 different playoff series. Along with an average of about 55% shooting, 3spg and 2bpg.
(86 vs bos, 89 vs cavs, 90 vs philly, 92 vs Miami, 93 vs Phoenix, 88 vs cavs) Jordan won every one of those matchups except for the 1986 matchup vs the celtics.
•Jordan in 88-89 averaged 32ppg, 8apg, 8rpg, 3spg off 54% shooting. LeBron has never even came close to this stat line.
•in 87 thru 92, MJ averaged 5 straight seasons of atleast 51% FG shooting. LeBron has never done this.
•the lowest FT% MJ ever shot in a season was 78%. Lebrons highest in a season ever is 78%.
•MJ has a higher playoff FG% of 48.7% to Lebrons 48.3%
•MJ has a higher playoff player efficiency rating of 28.6 to Lebrons 27.3.
•MJ shoots a higher playoff 3 point percentage of 33.2% to Lebrons 32.9%
•LeBron James has scored 30 points, 416 times in 1, 117 games.
Michael Jordan did it 562 times in 1, 072 games.
Jordan won 6 championships without losing a final in 1, 072 games and LeBron in 1, 117 games has lost 5 times and has only won 3 times (updated 2018)
•MJ also shocked the league by being the first (and only) player to have 100 blocks and 200 steals in the same season, then turned around and did it again the next year..
•Mj also has more career blocks (893) than Lebron James (853) despite playing in 22 LESS career games and being the smaller guy.
Also, MJ averaged 1.6 blocks per game in the 1987-88 season which is absolutely bonkers for a 6’6″ shooting guard.
Seriously this list can keep going. This isn’t even a debate. Mj is the GOAT.
MIchael Jordan:
•NBA record 5 playoffs series’ averaging atleast 40ppg
•Only player in history to lead league in scoring and win DPOY
•Highest scoring average, points per game, in any championship series:
41.0 vs. Phoenix Suns, 1993 NBA Finals
•Only rookie in NBA history to lead his team in four statistics (1984–85)
•Only player in NBA history to lead the league in scoring, win Most Valuable Player, and Defensive Player of the Year in the same season (1987–88)
•Only player in history to average at least 30pts 6reb 5assists And 2 steals per game AND HE DID IT 7 TIMES.
•Only player in NBA history to win Rookie of the Year (1984–85), Defensive Player of the Year (1987–88), NBA MVP (1987–88, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1995–96, 1997–98), All-Star MVP (1988, 1996, 1998), and Finals MVP (1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998)
•Only player in NBA history to lead the league in scoring and win the NBA championship MORE THAN ONCE in the same season
* He did this SIX TIMES!! (1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98)
•One of two players in NBA history to score 3, 000 points in a season: 3, 041 points scored in 82 games played (37.1 ppg) (1986–87)
* Wilt Chamberlain is the only other player to achieve this.
•MJ is also the only player in NBA history to score over 40 points at age 40, and he did it twice!
•In 1988, MJ earned: Dunk Champ, All Star Game MVP, NBA Scoring Title, League MVP and Defensive Player of the Year.
Michael in only ELEVEN complete seasons with the Bulls:
-10 scoring titles,
-Won Defensive Player of the Year,
-9 times all defensive team,
-9time All NBA,
-5 league MVPs
-6 finals MVPs
All 11 seasons. Mj has done in 11 seasons things Lebron hasn’t done and won’t do in his whole career…

Remind me again...who is the GOAT?

[KingCoopaJ]

The Glove, GP one of my favorites of all time.

[ducman]

I used to physically get sick when I missed a Jordan Bulls game which was rare, I don’t think we will ever see that type of player again with that type of competition, he was a freak of nature in the best way.

[godjuda]

Larry Bird said it best: "That wasn't Michael Jordan playing basketball. That was God."

[donnamorgan]

Michael Jordan wanted to snatch your heart out basketball wise for his own mental satisfaction. Kobe calls it mamba mentality

[sacamentobob]

Gary was an incredible player. Very resilient.

[AlbertoEntertainment]

Ever since Lebron called out SAS, he has been so salty lmao

[ELV-ztme]

So MJ is still the greatest ball player of all time because he was OBSESSED to be the best on the court in every damn game there for he did become the best nice! 👍🏼

[Rivs]

If Bron takes KD one on one than who’s going to guard Steph, Klay and Draymond. Ppl acting like LeBron got teammates who can match up with the rest of the Warriors stars.

[mlkboogie]

“Lebron doesn’t want to tired himself out…”

End of story…

[PronounceGaming]

Jordan was 38-40 years old during his Wizards' years. Lebron James is only 33 years old. Kellerman's comparison is laughable.

[james_ongoma]

MJ is different from Lebron. MJ is a Guard and Lebron is forward. And MJ is the goat.

[AlbertoGonzalez-yupe]

90s NBA games was like watching hockey games on steroids