The ESPN documentary series “The Last Dance” showed a younger generation of NBA fans that Michael Jordan is much more than a guy who sells retro sneakers. For those who witnessed Jordan’s greatness over the course of two three-peats with the Bulls, it reinforced the belief he is the greatest player to ever touch the court.
A current star has complicated that GOAT (greatest of all time) conversation, of course. There is an argument to be made for putting LeBron James over Jordan, and James’ case only grows stronger each year in purple and gold, first leading the Lakers to the NBA title in 2020 and then passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.
The Sporting News’ Bill Bender has a helpful guide with the most important talking points if you’re ready to discuss MJ vs. LeBron, but we’re simply here to provide the facts you need to justify your choice. Don’t be the person yelling “six rings” with no backup plan.
Here’s a closer look at where the GOAT debate stands…
(All stats current as of Feb. 8, 2023)
Michael Jordan vs. LeBron James: Regular season stats
On a per-game basis, Jordan is superior in the scoring department, but James grabs rebounds and dishes out assists at a higher rate. While both players are known for tenacious defense on the wing, Jordan finished first in the league in steals three times in his career. James has not yet claimed a steals title.
In terms of longevity, James holds a clear advantage. The gap in total numbers will widen as long as James stays healthy, and he doesn’t appear to be slowing down at age 38. Passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA’s all-time leading scorer and doing so with a seemingly effortless 38 points only turns up the volume on the world’s favorite GOAT debate.
Jordan
Per Game
LeBron
30.1
Points
27.2
6.2
Rebounds
7.5
5.3
Assists
7.3
2.3
Steals
1.5
0.8
Blocks
0.8
2.7
Turnovers
3.5
38.3
Minutes
38.1
49.7
Field goal %
50.5
32.7
3-point %
34.4
83.5
Free throw %
73.5
Now that James is officially the all-time leading scorer, one question remains: will he forever put the record out of reach? There’s a very good chance James blows by 40,000 career points. Could 45,000 be in play? Only time will tell.
MORE: Remembering LeBron’s first ever bucket
Jordan
Totals
LeBron
1,072
Games
1,410
32,292
Points
38,390
6,672
Rebounds
10,583
5,633
Assists
10,354
2,514
Steals
2,179
893
Blocks
1,065
2,924
Turnovers
4,926
41,011
Minutes
53,742
Michael Jordan vs. LeBron James: Regular season advanced stats
It’s all about which category you choose when it comes to advanced statistics. VORP and Win Shares favor James, but PER and Box Plus/Minus go to Jordan.
Pick a side, nerds! (That’s a term of endearment.)
Jordan
Advanced
LeBron
27.9
Player Efficiency Rating
27.3
116.1
Value Over Replacement
145.9
9.2
Box Plus/Minus
8.8
214.0
Win Shares
254.3
56.9
True Shooting %
58.8
33.3
Usage %
31.6
Michael Jordan vs. LeBron James: Playoff stats
The playoff statistics mirror what Jordan and James produce during the regular season. Despite James’ increased usage and efficiency from beyond the arc over the course of his career, it’s worth noting he shoots about the same percentage as Jordan from 3-point range.
Oh, and the lazy narrative claiming James shrinks in big games — his postseason lines are often more impressive than his regular-season performances. That’s not a smart way to argue against him.
Jordan
Per Game
LeBron
33.4
Points
28.7
6.4
Rebounds
9.0
5.7
Assists
7.2
2.1
Steals
1.7
0.9
Blocks
0.9
3.1
Turnovers
3.7
41.8
Minutes
41.5
48.7
Field goal %
49.5
33.2
3-point %
33.7
82.8
Free throw %
74.0
Jordan
Totals
LeBron
179
Games
266
5,987
Points
7,631
1,152
Rebounds
2,391
1,022
Assists
1,919
376
Steals
454
158
Blocks
252
546
Turnovers
975
7,474
Minutes
11,035
Michael Jordan vs. LeBron James: Playoff advanced stats
Jordan is the all-time playoff leader in PER and Box Plus/Minus, and he has the highest usage percentage. But James tops everyone in VORP and Win Shares.
So, yeah, these guys are pretty good.
Jordan
Advanced
LeBron
28.6
Player Efficiency Rating
28.2
24.7
Value Over Replacement
33.9
11.1
Box Plus/Minus
10.2
39.8
Win Shares
55.7
56.8
True Shooting %
58.3
35.6
Usage %
32.0
Michael Jordan vs. LeBron James: Accolades and awards
And here’s the big one. Jordan fans have championships in their back pockets. MJ went a perfect 6-0 in the NBA Finals and never needed a Game 7 to win those series.
James has gone 4-6 in his 10 NBA Finals appearances, but he also controlled the Eastern Conference with the Cavaliers and Heat for almost an entire decade.
Jordan
Accolades
LeBron
6
Championships
4
5
MVPs
4
6
Finals MVPs
4
11
All-NBA
18
9
All-Defense
6
14
All-Star
19
10
Scoring titles
1
