LeBron James and Kobe Bryant are two of the greatest NBA players of all time.
Debates have raged for years regarding who is truly better, and they’ll likely continue for decades to come.
Interestingly enough, Michael Jordan was once confronted with the question of who he would take between James and Bryant.
Back in 2013, while he was doing promotion for NBA 2K14, Jordan was asked by Ahmad Rashad to pick between James and Bryant. His response was fascinating.
“That’s a tough one. I’d say… Kevin Durant. Nah, I’m kidding,” he replied while laughing.
At that point, Jordan attempted to address the question more seriously.
“In terms of dominance in the game of basketball at this stage, it’s LeBron. Championship-wise, it’s Kobe,” he continued. “He wants it so bad, he’s willing to go to the extreme, guarding a point guard at the age of 34 for 38 minutes, 40 minutes… It is what it is, he’s cursed as much as I am. If I had to pick between the two, that’d be a tough choice, but five [championships] beat one.”
Now, obviously things have changed since then. James went on to win three more titles – so now the championship total is much closer between these two men at five to four. That said, Bryant still has more.
Yikes. https://t.co/r0HoFoJE9h
— Game 7 (@game7__) August 10, 2021
Overall, Jordan’s response to that question is still fascinating – even if it is a little outdated now. Plus, his commentary on Durant is pretty prophetic now that many regard the Brooklyn Nets star as the best player in the NBA.
For a guy who often gets a reputation for being a bad interview subject, Jordan can be surprisingly introspective when given the opportunity. Whether he’s remarking on who the true GOAT is or getting brutally honest on who’d win a 1-on-1 between him and Allen Iverson, the Chicago Bulls legend generally makes it a point to keep it pretty real.
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Charles Kruger has been credentialed to cover two Super Bowls, four NBA Finals, and one World Series. A 20-year veteran in the sports world, he has sources spanning the NBA, MLB, NFL, UFC and NASCAR. Currently residing in Los Angeles, Calif., he is Game 7’s go-to source for rumors surrounding the Lakers, Clippers and Dodgers.