Michael Jordan or Lebron James?

[BlastX21]

I'd take Darko Milicic over either of them.

[cjallure24]

I would have to say Mj. Reason being, his college experience, and performing in a big game. I would know both have great talent, but I think during the interview sessions, Mj's maturity and hunger would reveal itself, while a young Lebron only performing on a high school level would need more time finding himself. So Mj would be my selection.

[Tyrant8RDFL]

Looking at the voting. Many here could not disregard what MJ accomplished. The question is interesting and if this was what happened. Where MJ and Lebron was in the same draft and we had no idea what the future holds. I think the voting would be the other way around.

No one could ever had imagine MJ being the player he turend out to be. Im guilty also. I cant look past what MJ accomplished, so I vote MJ

[JWaLL]

there is no doubt that MJ is the greatest player of all time. but BUILDING A FRANCHISE it has to be LBJ. Jordan will get you 35 a night and play great defense. It is also well documented that Jordan was a below average teammate (Ever read The Jordan Rules?). LBJ on the other hand, well he can get you either 35-40 or 25 and 10 assists and the 10 rebounds will come no matter what as well as play world class defense. He is also a great person and teammate. If i am building a franchise its LBJ, but MJ is the greater player AS OF RIGHT NOW

[Dirk504]

Everyone who voted for Lebron was either born after 1999 or a die hard Pistons "Bad Boy" fan.

[DieHardYankee26]

Quote: Originally Posted by JWaLL

there is no doubt that MJ is the greatest player of all time. but BUILDING A FRANCHISE it has to be LBJ. Jordan will get you 35 a night and play great defense. It is also well documented that Jordan was a below average teammate (Ever read The Jordan Rules?). LBJ on the other hand, well he can get you either 35-40 or 25 and 10 assists and the 10 rebounds will come no matter what as well as play world class defense. He is also a great person and teammate. If i am building a franchise its LBJ, but MJ is the greater player AS OF RIGHT NOW

Let's not slouch on Jordan here though. Since we're clearly taking into account NBA careers here, it's worth saying that Jordan in '88 basically had an absurd "LeBron-like" year, with 32.5 8 & 8 on 54% as well as being regarded as one of the best perimeter defenders of all time. Jordan was a world class defender in his own right, and could take a guy out of a game.

[BasketballSaint]

Is this thread forreal?

Jordan is obviously the answer, Lebron doesn't have the killer instinct Jordan has to match up with his competitiveness.

[BlakkMajik3000]

Speaking purely from the view that both are rookies, Jordan had the college experience, so that's who I'm going with.

And to be quite honest, even given LeBron's frame, I think he would have gotten banged and pushed around quite a bit during that time. At 6'8, he almost certainly would have been playing PF, and if you think players like Barkley and Malone are going to let some "kid" show them up, you got another thing coming.

Players these days have the benefit of rules that pretty much discourage any contact whatsoever with each other, and that's why you see guys like LBJ trotting into the lane for layups.

People seem to forget that before it was a federal crime to even breathe on MJ, he would get MAULED by defenses. Guards today just aren't that tough, regardless of size and/or strength. Toughness is going into the lane knowing two or three guys are going to slap you and the refs aren't going to call anything. And sorry, but today's players would spend even more time flopping around looking for fouls.

[thuglife74]

Quote: Originally Posted by BlakkMajik3000

Guards today just aren't that tough, regardless of size and/or strength. Toughness is going into the lane knowing two or three guys are going to slap you and the refs aren't going to call anything. And sorry, but today's players would spend even more time flopping around looking for fouls.

you know i wonder at times how players would fair in past leagues. i wonder if it would have made them better and smarter players or they'd shine a lot less than they do now. you not only had to be tough in the 80's and 90's, but a lot smarter than players are now; even off the ball.

[MarvellousOne]

Even disregarding all there accomplishments in the NBA and went back to there rookie year version, and we was just to look at them as scouts and only had game tapes to watch I would take M.J. before Lebron. Jordan had a greater body of work from H.S. to his Junior Year in College that alone goes along way as it shows the development & growth of a player at different levels of the game, it would give you a better feel as to who is more NBA Ready from day one. If I was a contenting team for the NBA title already, then I may take Lebron over MJ if I needed a person who can facilitate the ball and since rookie Lebron had better passing ability than MJ he would suit the team nicely, but if I needed a flat out scorer or defender then I definitely would take MJ. So in some situation I would take LBJ but most of the time I would take MJ