LeBron James and J. J. Redick have brought a totally different aspect to the podcast culture with their show, Mind the Game. Unlike other famous NBA stars, the two have delved deep into interesting basketball plays, untouched angles, etc. that have caught the attention of the ballers. In their pilot episode, James and Redick shared the names of some of the most influential players in the NBA, but surprisingly, they did not take the name of LeBron’s GOAT debate rival, Michael Jordan.

And it looks like this was enough for former LA Clippers star Austin Rivers to call them out. Rivers joined as a guest on Stephen A. Smith’s ESPN show, First Take. When asked about the biggest influence on the NBA today, the 31-year-old said, “If we’re talking about today, then Steph Curry…If we’re talking historically, it starts and ends with Michael Jordan. I think we are quick to just forget about what he has done for the game. It was interesting to hear LeBron on that podcast with J.J. talk about the most influential and not name MJ. This guy still outsells anybody today in sneaker sales for a reason.”

King James had only two superstars on his influential players list. They were Allen Iverson and Stephen Curry, but he did mention, “Obviously we know what Mike did for the game,” before he gave his flowers to others. However, he did not deeply analyze why the Chicago Bulls icon was one of the most influential, which Rivers thought could have been mentioned and added to the podcast. 

Although James might not have Jordan on his most influential players list, the 6x NBA champion is definitely one of his favorite players of all time. 

When LeBron James had Allen Iverson and Michael Jordan on his ‘favorite players to watch’ list

There is a slight difference between ‘influential’ and ‘favorite’. Influence is on many and favorite is subjective as it changes from person to person. James shared in 2013, “He(Iverson) was one of the greatest finishers we’ve ever seen…You could never question his heart. Ever. He gave it his all. AI was like my second favorite player growing up, after MJ.” Jordan was a role model for the King. He has mentioned this on several occasions. 

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But His Airness has also inspired an entire generation of basketball. So Rivers believes it is unfair to not put his name on the influential players list. Iverson and Curry changed the game, but Jordan did so too. Rivers smartly brought in the topic of Air Jordans, which are still a sensation in not just basketball but lifestyle in general. People do not wear it just for its style, but also for their love towards the Chicago Bulls champion.

While the Jordan Brand did $6.59 billion in revenue, LeBron’s shoes (since he doesn’t have a brand like MJ) surpassed $1 billion lifetime sales just a couple of years ago. Talk about influence.

LeBron James Names 2 Most Influential NBA Players; Excludes Michael Jordan for a Totally Non-Offensive Reason