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Karan Mann
Mr. Fernandes
ENG 3U J
April 13th, 2015
LeBron James vs. Michael Jordan
Topic:
Why is LeBron James a better basketball player than Michael Jordan?
Stance:
LeBron James who has played 11 seasons in the National Basketball Association and
currently plays for the Cleveland Cavaliers. LBJ has earned two NBA championships,
four MVPs, two finals MVP, three out of four high school state championships, and two
Olympic gold medals is a better basketball player than Michael Jordan.
Support Points:
1. States/Records
LeBron James has four MVPs which is one less that MJ in eleven seasons and
MJ has played in fifteen seasons. Although MJ has six rings and LBJ has two
rings, the Cavs could have a four-peat in these next four seasons to tie up with
Jordan. This is possible because Bill Russell, former NBA player with the Boston
Celtics, has eight championships in a row. LeBron James has broken MJs record
of having more than 25 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists during the playoffs. Not
to mention that that LeBron James single handedly swept the Charlotte Bobcats,
the team Jordan owns in the NBA, 4-0 in the play-offs. Even though James wont
pass Jordan in scoring average per season, but he will pass him in rebounds and
assists and James is already a more efficient shooter than Jordan ever was. The
current NBA era is much more competitive than the 90s was ever. The 90s was an
era where some of the greatest played and set many records, but right now there
are even more bigger and stronger players and teams who are breaking the records
which were set in the 90s. James and the Miami Heat set a record for the longest
winning streak in the 2012-13 NBA season meanwhile the Bobcats have had the
longest losing streak in the 2010-11 seasons. LeBron is the first player in NBA
postseason history with a triple-double and a buzzer-beater game winner in the
same game. Magic never did it. Jordan never did it. Bird never did it. Not even
Oscar or Wilt. Only LeBron. LeBron James had a better second season coming
into the NBA, where he averaged 27 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, 1 block
per game. While Jordan averaged 22 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists per game and
getting swept in the playoffs by the Boston Celtics. LeBron became the youngest
player to average more than 30 points per game in a season.
http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/polls/_/category/3929

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2. Before NBA/High School
Michael was drafted in 1984 from North Carolina as third in round one and
LeBron was drafted in 2003 from high school as first in round one. Jordan waited
and chose to go to college before entering into the NBA, but James decided to
enter the draft without college basketball experience. Jordan was cut from his
varsity basketball team in grade ten, but James had won a state championship in
grade ten. LBJ had also won three championships St. Vincent-St. Mary's varsity t
but MJ had won none. James was the first sophomore to be selected in USA
Today All-USA First Team and appeared on SLAM Magazine. He was the best
high school player in the country and was
on the cover of Sports Illustrated. LeBron was the first player to win a Gatorade
National Player of the Year Award two times in a row. According to SLAM
Magazine, James was NBA-ready in grade eleven but could not enter since he
didnt graduate from high school. James and the varsity team played Oak Hill, the
number one ranked prep school in the nation, and St. Vincent-Marys beat while
James scored career-high 52 points. James was the youngest player ever to score
more than 40 points in his rookie year (age 19) and he averaged more than MJ in
his rookie year even after college basketball experience.
3. Reports
Many say Michael Jordan is better than LeBron James, but Scottie Pippen and
Isiah Thomas disagree. Scottie Pippen, former NBA player who played with MJ
and the Chicago Bulls for 12 seasons, said Michael Jordan is probably the
greatest scorer to play the game," Pippen said. "But I may go as far as to say
LeBron James may be the greatest player to ever play the game because he is so
potent offensively that not only can he score at will but he keeps everybody
involved. You have to be on your Ps and Qs on defense. No guy on the basketball
court is not a threat to score with LeBron James out there. Not only will LeBron
dominate from the offensive end as well, but he's also doing it on the defensive
end which really makes him the complete package. He's able to get in those
passing lanes, shoot those gaps and create transition opportunities where he is
pretty much unstoppable.". Another former NBA player and Hall of Famer, Isiah
Thomas said LeBron James is the best athlete of today, and he's probably a better
athlete than Michael Jordan was. He's bigger, he's faster, he's stronger." also "Had
Michael Jordan not met Phil Jackson, would Michael Jordan be Michael Jordan
today had he stayed with (Stan) Albeck and Doug Collins, and they were great
coaches, but I think Jackson had a lot to do with his success. LeBron right now
seems to be in the right situation with the right coach with the right players and
his talent is being exposed and is flourishing.". Now these two have both played
in the same era as Jordan and have played on The Dream Team, even after play
with MJ, they both say LeBron James is a better basketball player. Reports say
that MJ was the worst teammate anyone could have. Instead of going out on team
dinners and hanging out with everyone on the team, Jordan went out to casinos
and gamble. Also the only reason Jordan has six rings is because Phil Jackson was
the coach. Phil Jackson is one of the best coaches in NBA history and he has 13

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rings, six which he got with Jordan, five with Kobe, and the other two with the
New York Knicks.
Conclusion:
LeBron James is just simply amazing. Standing 6 foot 8 inches, weighing 250
pounds, running 4.3 in a 40-yard dash and having a 48-inch vertical jump, he is a
tank with Ferraris engine and could play all five positions on the court. Michael
Jordan, standing 6 foot 6 inches, weighing 215 pounds, running 4.3 in a 40-yard
dash and having a 48-inch vertical jump. Even after having the same speed,
weighing 35 pounds less and 2 inches shorter, James can jump as high can Jordan
who is called his Airness which means he is the king of flight. LeBron James
scored 61 points on the Bobcats, which is MJs team. James is a greater leader
than Jordan ever became in his career and that is why LeBron carries his team on
his back and comes clutch in the toughest obstacles for his teammates. This is
why LeBron James is a better basketball player than Michael Jordan.

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Work Cited:
"NBA.com/Stats." NBA.com/Stats. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Apr. 2015.
"8 Reasons LeBron James Is Better Than Michael Jordan." The Epoch Times 8 Reasons
LeBron James Is Better Than Michael Jordan Comments. N.p., 05 Nov. 2013. Web. 12
Apr. 2015.
"LeBron James Is Better Than Michael Jordan Ever Was." Miami New Times. N.p., 05
June 2014. Web. 12 Apr. 2015.
"Land Of Basketball.com." LeBron James vs. Michael Jordan Comparison:. N.p., n.d.
Web. 12 Apr. 2015.
ESPN. ESPN Internet Ventures, n.d. Web. 12 Apr. 2015.
"Is LeBron James a Better Athlete than Michael Jordan?" Is LeBron James a Better
Athlete than Michael Jordan? N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Apr. 2015.
"LeBron James." Stats, Video, Bio, Profile. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Apr. 2015.
"Top 7 Reasons Why LeBron James Will Pass Michael Jordan As 'Greatest
Ever'" TheRichest. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Apr. 2015.
"Land Of Basketball.com." NBA Honors and Awards. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Apr. 2015.
"Mourning: Pippen Said LeBron Would Have Kicked Jordan's Butt."CBSSports.com.
N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Apr. 2015.

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