The NBA GOAT debate has long centered around LA Lakers superstar forward LeBron James and Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan. However, just five years ago, Jordan’s former teammate Dennis Rodman didn’t consider the four-time MVP a legitimate threat to “His Airness.”
During a 2019 ESPN “First Take” appearance, Rodman was asked how James “compared” to Jordan. The two-time Defensive Player of the Year didn’t hesitate to crown his ex-teammate the GOAT.
“I just think that, if you look at Michael, the body of work he’s done over the years, if you look at LeBron, the body of work he’s done over the years—I mean, Year 17 now, going on Year 18—Michael is the greatest player ever,” Rodman said.
Rodman cited Jordan’s durability, low maintenance and determination to prove himself during his illustrious career.
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“You know, Michael’s been injured one time, he never asked to sit out, he never asked to be anything. He only asked for respect and money,” Rodman said.
The seven-time rebounding champion even went as far as to question why fans and analysts bother engaging in GOAT debates.
“I don’t know why you guys discuss the GOAT. Why do you discuss the GOAT?” Rodman said.
Regarding durability, Michael Jordan played all 82 games in nine of 15 seasons and 80-plus in 11 of 15. Meanwhile, LeBron James has played 82 contests in only one of 21 seasons and 80-plus in three of 21.
However, the 20-time All-Star has played six more seasons and counting than Jordan. So, most would probably have difficulty questioning his approach to the game.
Notably, James went on to win his fourth championship in 2020, the year after Rodman’s comments. However, given how adamant Rodman was about Jordan’s clear-cut GOAT status, it doesn’t appear anything will sway his opinion.
Dennis Rodman said Michael Jordan would average 50 points per game in modern-day NBA
During his 2019 discussion about the GOAT debate, Dennis Rodman touched on the differences between Michael Jordan and LeBron James’ eras.
According to Rodman, if Jordan played in the modern-day NBA, he would challenge legendary center Wilt Chamberlain’s 1961-62 scoring average record (50.4 points per game).
“As far as LeBron and Michael, if Michael played in this era, he would average 50,” Rodman said. “He would average 50 points. LeBron’s a great talent, no doubt. He’s probably one of the top three players to ever play with Kobe [Bryant], Magic [Johnson], Kareem [Abdul-Jabbar], but Michael’s right there.”
Jordan’s career-high scoring average came in the 1986-87 season when he averaged 37.1 ppg. So, Rodman essentially said today’s defenses would allow the six-time champion to average at least 12.9 ppg more than his best season.
However, in 2020, James dismissed the notion of any player averaging 50-plus ppg against him and his cohorts.
“There’s nobody that’s gonna average 50 in our league,” James said on the “Road Trippin'” podcast. “That’s just disrespectful, no matter how great you were in your era and how great you are to play in any era.”
(5:48 mark onward)
Thus, there appears to be a clear divide between how Rodman and James view the differences between their eras.