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“LeBron James Couldn’t Have Survived”: When Michael Jordan, Dennis Rodman and Other NBA Greats Discredited The Legend

Published 09/12/2021, 6:30 PM EDT

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A decent amount of hatred and criticism comes with being an NBA player. They often clash with fans, media, and rivals on various topics. But if there is anyone who, we can safely say, gets the most amount of hatred, it has to be LeBron James. In some way or the other, he may have gotten used to it but the true reason but all of it is unknown.

Whether it started when he left Cleveland, or because of his over-the-top pre-game routine, or because he is considered a self-proclaimed King. There is absolutely no shortage of guesses. But if NBA greats also fail to see what fans see, it raises the question of whether he is actually overrated or not.

Michael Jordan and Dennis Rodman’s don’t have faith in LeBron James

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LeBron James has had plenty of doubters in his 17-year career in the NBA. Despite that, he has been labeled as the GOAT by many others as well. While we all know about that debate, one would never think that his competitor, Michael Jordan, also doesn’t believe much in Bron. At least he doesn’t think LeBron is as good as him.

One biggest statement that is always made is that it isn’t fair to compare these two because they have played in very different eras. However, when MJ was asked if Bron would be successful in his era or not, he responded, “Yes.” However, when asked if he would be as successful as him, he blatantly said, “No.”

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Jordan’s teammate during his time with the Chicago Bulls, Dennis Rodman doesn’t feel any different either. In fact, he was even more brutal about it. “If LeBron was playing in the late ’80s or early ’90s,” Rodman said, “he’d be just an average player.”

WATCH THIS STORY: From Nike to Liverpool FC: LeBron James’ Best Investments That Made Him a Billionaire

Mychal Thompson and Rasheed Wallace as well?

During Game 4 of the NBA Finals, Draymond Green did some trash-talking in which LeBron James’ feelings apparently were hurt. At least, as per Klay Thompson. And then came Klay’s father, Mychal Thompson, a former Lakers star himself, to back him up. But he probably went a little overboard with his justification.

He stated, “LeBron couldn’t have survived in the ’80s with the physicality and the words guys said to each other back then. We all respect LeBron’s ability … but man, sometimes he acts too entitled like he’s supposed to get everything he wants.”

If that wasn’t enough, Rasheed Wallace jumped on the bandwagon as well. Wallace isn’t the most liked player either because of his way with words. But that didn’t stop him from chiming in on the discussion as he also said, “We all respect LeBron’s ability … but man, sometimes he acts too entitled like he’s supposed to get everything he wants.”

That’s a lot of legends looking down on you, which means Bron still has plenty to prove. The man is always dismissed out of the GOAT debate particularly because he has lesser rings than MJ.

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Although surpassing that might be a little far-fetched, it doesn’t mean Bron doesn’t deserve credit for all the good he has done. Not just for his teams and teammates, but also for the league. And that’s something that shouldn’t be forgotten

 

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Written by:

Yashima Bhatia

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Yashima Bhatia is an NBA writer for EssentiallySports who specialises in providing nuanced predictions and updates for matches. She has a Bachelor's degree in journalism and mass communication. Yashima's love for playing the game came up at a young age, when the excitement of the games coupled with the intensity of the Playoffs had her hooked.
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