LeBron James boasting of three NBA rings to date is certainly a boost to him being considered the greatest in basketball but Michael Jordan did better. The former Chicago Bulls superstar all won the six NBA titles under his name without switching sides and one journalist is convinced Jordan made it more difficult to surpass his achievements.
The argument was floated by Jackie MacMullan of ESPN and she explained that Jordan's record was far more impressive. The Bulls legend powered his team to six NBA Finals appearances and won all of them.
"You guys keep arguing with the idea that he can win Championships with three different teams. I would argue it's a lot harder to stay with one team your entire career and win six of them," Fadeaway World reported MacMullan as saying.
The point was taken but as the report clarified, Jordan did not end his career in Chicago. He joined up with the Wizards and playing in Washington, the now 53-year-old surely entertained the thought of getting another Larry O'Brien or two, which did not happen.
The comparison seemed out of place but unexpected. That's because when it comes to Jordan, the narrative tends to focus on the great things he accomplished while with the Bulls.
Always on the spotlight is Jordan's partnership with Scottie Pippen and how he tamed Dennis Rodman to bring glory and honor to the Bulls. This treatment was evident in "The Last Dance" documentary produced by ESPN - the focus was on how Jordan dominated the NBA on and off the court during his years with Chicago.
Conveniently left out were the succeeding years with the Wizards, which at the very least proved a disappointment by Jordan's standard.
In contrast, the discussions on James are not always lenient. He has been described as a ring-chaser, one who is ready to make the jump where he deems the chance of winning the NBA crown is better. James has been accused of not giving premium to loyalty, a trait that is not necessarily the strength of MJ.
Amid the criticisms, James pragmatism seemed to be gradually understood. His fellow NBA stars now see the tactic as a way of exercising more power over the course of their career. It appeared to be the case with Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, and Kawhi Leonard.
As the report from Fadeaway World suggested, James is getting the flak on a practice that many big names in the NBA are also prepared to do.
In any case, James' championship collection will be adding the Premier League title that Liverpool secured this week. Insider said the Lakers superstar is a partial owner of the English football club so he is entitled to a claim to the honor.
It's doubtful, however, if the title will count as a plus to James' perceived race against Jordan to the GOAT recognition.
