LeBron James’ former teammate supports Michael Jordan as the NBA’s greatest player before the playoffs.
One of LeBron James’ former teammates recently shared why he thinks Michael Jordan is still the greatest basketball player ever, just before the NBA play-offs this weekend.
LeBron, who’s 41, is expected to play for the LA Lakers as they face the Houston Rockets in the Western Conference play-offs. Meanwhile, another star, Luka Dončić, will miss the rest of the season because of a hamstring injury.
LeBron likely sees this game as another chance to work towards a fifth championship, having already won four titles before—in 2012, 2013, 2016, and 2020. But to beat Michael Jordan’s record of six championships, won from 1991 to 1998, LeBron still has some ground to cover.
Both Jordan and LeBron are often called the greatest players in NBA history, though some fans also mention Steph Curry and Kobe Bryant. So who better to ask than Mario Chalmers, who played with LeBron on the Miami Heat from 2010 to 2014?
Even though he was LeBron’s teammate, 39-year-old Chalmers still feels Jordan is number one. On the podcast Run It Back, he said, “This is just my opinion. I like players who want the last-second shot and step up in big moments. Whether I’m on the team or not, I want that player to take the shot.
“I’m not saying LeBron hasn’t done it, but Jordan just has this vibe like, ‘I’m going to take the shot.’
“We know LeBron makes the smart plays to help the team win, but Jordan just has that extra fire for me.”
Jordan holds the NBA record with nine game-winning buzzer-beaters, while LeBron has seven. LeBron often plays more as a team player setting up the final shot rather than taking it himself.