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“Jordan Should’ve Had at Least 10 MVPs”: NBA Analyst Reveals Reasons For LeBron James Falling Back in the GOAT Race

Published 09/22/2020, 2:32 PM EDT

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USA Today via Reuters

Those who saw Michael Jordan play in his heyday never seem to place any player even close to him. With more than a decade after his retirement, LeBron James is on the way to achieving that stature. It’s been a to-and-fro debate over comparing such stars.

Recently, LeBron James was denied the MVP of this season as Giannis Antetokounmpo earned it along with DPOY of the year. As the MVP debate comes on the table, a new angle was discovered that brings Michael ahead of LeBron in yet another criterion.

LeBron, who earned the moniker of ‘The King’, hasn’t been able to surpass Jordan in the winning percentage of first-place MVP votes in his career. MJ leaps and bounds ahead of Bron, having won 36% of first-place MVP votes in 13 seasons. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar holds 26.9% in 20 seasons, and LeBron has only 24.37% in 17 seasons to show.

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While LeBron is quite close to Jordan in the number of MVP awards, this stat is what anchors him to the ground, stopping him from getting on the pedestal that is home to MJ.

Skip Bayless comments, “Michael Jordan owned basketball”

Michael Jordan held a legacy in basketball and is still considered and compared with the new-bees of the league. His era was out of bounds with six championships to his name and all six Finals MVP awards as well.

Skip Bayless talked at length about Michael and LeBron’s legacy on Undisputed. Being an experienced analyst, Skip has witnessed MJ’s era and gives a closer picture of the same.

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When questioned about the number of MVPs Jordan ‘should have’ been holding towards the end of his career, he spontaneously claimed ‘ten’ as the right figure.

“Jordan should’ve had at least 10 MVPs,” Skip Bayless declared.

The reasons are pretty clear in Skip’s head. He admits that great players came and went from the league, but they all were a faint less than MJ.

“It was unquestionably Michael Jordan’s league. It was just case closed, he was the man, he owned basketball…Everybody just knew he’s the man.

“When we went past Magic (Johnson) and (Larry) Bird, there was Charles Barkley and Patrick Ewing, we have (Karl) Malone and (John) Stockton. I could go on but they paled in comparison [to MJ].

“He (Michael) marginalized some great players. They were great players, they put up incredible numbers but they all lived in the shadow of that one guy.”

LeBron James left behind in the GOAT debate as Jordan continues to rule

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Skip declares that Jordan’s sour relationship with the media was what stunted his reign. “The media didn’t love him (MJ) because he wasn’t the greatest with the media the way LeBron is just great with the media.

“LeBron gives you so much of who he is and Michael didn’t always do that. He did what was required of him, but that was all. He didn’t often open up. And because of that, his mistake ran a little hotter and higher than LeBron’s does because the media was in fear of him in a good way.

“He was extra-terrestrial…He was something we’d never seen before. So it doesn’t surprise me at all. I just take 13 versus LeBron’s 17 years,” Skip added.

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LeBron is paving the way quick to grab his fourth championship title with the Lakers this season. While amassing a series of personal feats, LeBron eyes a larger goal at the age of 35.

Well, the question remains, can he eventually take the fight all the way up to Michael Jordan in the list of NBA greats?

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Written by:

Pavni Ahuja

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