“I’m not one of those dudes that’s going to look at LeBron James and not acknowledge. This brother is Mt. Rushmore, one of the top two all-time. He just ain’t number one. It’s Michael Jordan.” A few weeks ago on First Take, Stephen A. Smith wholeheartedly accepted King James’ achievements and placed him number 2 behind the Bulls legend. But today, when his co-host, an NFL legend, tried to one-up the Lakers superstar, Smith vented out his frustration.

On the recent episode of First Take, Stephen A. Smith and Shannon Sharpe debated whether LeBron James’ recent struggles with the Los Angeles Lakers were a bad stretch or a bad sign. The 3x Super Bowl champion defended the Akron native. “My guy is in a six-game slump. I know a guy that was in a two-year slump and nobody say a word.”

Just when he stated this, ESPN aired Michael Jordan’s final year stats with the Wizards, comparing it with the 4x NBA Champions’ current season stats. Smith remarked, “I mean it’s telling about the flag football compared to what it was in the 80s and early ’90s. You got to be kidding me. You can’t compare the two.”

Smith continued, “I am talking about the game and how the rules have changed the game. Are you going to deny that the game is considerably softer today than it was? It was far more physical back in the day.” The ESPN veteran went on a rant because the stats were favoring LeBron James instead of the 6x NBA Champion.

Sharpe also questioned Michael Jordan’s role with the Wizards despite him averaging 20 points per game. But Smith came back with a response to defend his number one guy. “The point is the only reason he came out of retirement to go to Washington was for ownership that’s what happened.” Even the memoir from Irene Pollin, widow of Abe Pollin (Wizards owner at the time) revealed the same scenario.

“This was not what Michael expected. He was shocked. What followed was a heated discussion of what had and had not been promised. But after Abe repeated his decision ‘to go in a different direction,’ Michael lost it.” And even though the stats of His Airness weren’t at elite levels, they still left a mark on other athletes.

LeBron James’ best friend Michael Jordan

At the age of 38, MJ made an unexpected comeback to the league. Nobody knew what to expect from the 6x NBA champion and his levels considering a break since the championship win in 1998. In his two-year stint with the Wizards, he averaged 21.2 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.4 assists. Let’s not forget he played all 82 games in his final season and earned his All-Star call. It was enough for Carmelo Anthony to admire his GOAT.

“So, I just remember watching him, like, just, you know, like as a basketball player and like, damn, he just looked, like, he looked so different,” Melo stated on his 7PM in Brooklyn podcast. “Like, he don’t look, you know, he’s not MJ of all. Like, he’s not MJ flying through the air, but the game looks so easy to him.”

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His 3-point shooting of 29.1% was his seventh-highest career overall from his 15-season-long run. So, that’s why Stephen A. Smith was passionately defending his GOAT, Michael Jordan. But do you think the playstyle of the league is the only reason for LeBron James’ domination?