It didn’t take long after LeBron James surpassed the 40,000-point mark for Skip Bayless to discredit him and proclaim Michael Jordan as having the better basketball career résumé. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the analyst claimed people have forgotten about Jordan’s records.
Bayless took to social media to compare LeBron James and Jordan’s resumes side by side, asserting that Jordan’s career boasted more accolades.
This came shortly after “The King” made history on Saturday by becoming the first NBA player to eclipse 40,000 points, just a year after he surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s record as the league’s all-time leading scorer.
“Michael Jordan led the NBA in scoring 10 times — to just once for LeBron James. MJ also won a Defensive Player of the Year — LeBron none. MJ: 6-0 in Finals with 6 MVPs. LeBron has as many Finals losses as MJ had wins,” Bayless tweeted.
“But who remembers any of that tonight?”
Among LeBron’s many talents, one of the most remarkable is his longevity. He is still a dominant force in his 21st year, putting up 25.3 points, 7.9 assists and 7.1 rebounds per game this season.
Jordan put up 30.1 points, 5.3 assists and 6.2 rebounds per game in his 15-season career.
Celtics legends claim LeBron James has had a greater impact than Michael Jordan
In December, Boston Celtics legends Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce expressed awe for LeBron James’ longevity, with Garnett suggesting that Michael Jordan never reached the level of strength and impact that LeBron James currently possesses.
“Michael Jordan had it, he never had it like this.[LeBron] can probably stop the war right now … That’s how strong Bron is right now,” Garnett said.
Meanwhile, Pierce said fans should not underestimate the significance of LeBron.
“Think about this: He in his 21st year. He can make 25 years,” he said. “There’s gonna be more players that’s gonna be playing because as we as athletes evolve, we getting stronger, better, longer.”
Garnett said what James was doing wasn’t surprising, given his significant investment in his performance.
“I’m not shocked at anything. He’s invested in this and I’ve actually expected him to look something like this,” he said. “And then you know what he’s doing too? He’s putting the precedent; he’s putting the pressure on the KDs, and everybody else because they gotta follow this.”
Vince Carter, alongside LeBron, is the only other player to have a career lasting 21 seasons or longer. He holds the record for playing 22 seasons in the league.
