Jordan's comments about Lebron.

[Dave Gray]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=5391478

Jordan has always struck me as a jerk-off.  Maybe that is coloring my perception of his statements.

I just find him to be full of crap.  He wouldn't have looked to play with Magic and Bird because he didn't have to.  Pippen was not some 2nd rate role-player.  He is one of the NBA's 50 greatest players.  He didn't have to go look for another superstar, because he was already playing with one -- and had plenty of other help than that, as well.

...the same with Magic and Bird.

Every championship team has at least 2 (and usually 3-4) guys that make it all happen.  Who was Lebon's number 2?

Also, Jordan, Bird, and Magic played in 3 MAJOR sports cities -- not Cleveland.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

^^^ I think your dislike of Jordon is coloring your perception.  Jorden didn't really say much.  He said he never considered doing what Lebron did but hey, times are different now.

On the other hand Barkley and others are the ones being critical of Lebron.

I am happen to think Lebron is an asshole and more of an attention loving whore than Favre and Ochocinco combined.  I also have great respect for Jorden.  But my dislike of Lebron and respect for Jorden doesn't mean Jorden shares my views on Lebron, so don't attribute them to him. 

[Dave Gray]

I'm not even upset that Jordan is critical of Lebron (he's really not -- he was asked a question.)  But I think that Jordan (and Barkley and many sports writers) are just being dishonest with the history of the situation.  None of these superstars were by themselves.  Each one had other superstars with them.  They were fortunate enough to have people join them.

But it's not like they did it alone and Lebron didn't.  It just didn't happen that way, and people are rewriting history to say that they did. 

[gocowboys31]

Do you realize that Jordan was swept in 86 and 87 by the celtics. I love pippen, but he was the one who got migranes when the pistons kept pounding him. I agree with Jordan. The all time greats have a fierce competiveness about them. The great players feel nobody can beat them. Jordan always felt he was the best and he would eventually break thru the pistons and any other team in his way.

When Isiah Thomas kept losing to the celtics he never wanted to join Larry, he wanted to beat him. No matter how many times Patrick Ewing or Reggie miller lossed to Jordan, the mindset was to keep plugging until they eventually broke thru. Barkley would never think of teaming up with Jordan. These guys had a competitive fire that burned in them, because the wanted to be the man.

Lebron wants to carry this persona as the King and the chosen one. Well act like a king. Don't run from the pressure and the responsibility that goes along with being a king. By joining Miami he can no longer be mentioned in the same breath as Kobe, MJ, Bird, or Magic. If you ask me that's a good thing. I'm glad he gave up the number 23, because lebron dosent realize what that number symbolizes. Greatness is what it symbolizes. Thank you Jordan for speaking the truth.

[Dave Gray]

You love Pippen but....


BUT HE WAS ONE OF THE 50 GREATEST NBA PLAYERS OF ALL TIME!

Bird (who I love) played with McHale and Parrish.
Kobe played with Shaq and Gasol.

[gocowboys31]

Parish and mchale joined bird thru trades. Kobe was drafted when shaq was already there. And gasol was acquired thru a trade as well. The point is when bird, Jordan, and Kobe won titles you knew they were the catalyst behind them winning. Go look
at those Celtic teams, bird set the tone and the others followed. Same with Kobe, Jordan, and magic, and isiah.

Jordan's point is those players back then never wanted to join forces, they wanted to kill and beat each other. That's what made the rivalry's back then so great. Everyone had to get thru somebody to reach their goal. Nothing was handed or given to them, it was earned.

[Phishfan]

^^^ Kobe was traded for not drafted and in those early championships, Shaq was the driving force. He was the finals MVP three times.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

You love Pippen but....


BUT HE WAS ONE OF THE 50 GREATEST NBA PLAYERS OF ALL TIME!

How many championships did he win when he was teamed with with Hakeem Olajuwon and Charles Barkley?

How many when he was in Portland?

How many in Chicago when MJ wasn't there?

SP was a good player w/o MJ, but he was great player when MJ was on the court with him.  MJ had a way of making every player on the team around him look great and better than they were around him.

MJ style of play had a tendency to elevate the play of everyone around him.  Lebron doesn’t do that.  

[gocowboys31]

^^^ Kobe was traded for not drafted and in those early championships, Shaq was the driving force. He was the finals MVP three times.

correct, my bad. I meant to say once Shaq was removed from the equation.

[Sunstroke]

Jordan's point is those players back then never wanted to join forces, they wanted to kill and beat each other. That's what made the rivalry's back then so great. Everyone had to get thru somebody to reach their goal. Nothing was handed or given to them, it was earned.

So, does that mean you are discounting the Celtics' recent championship, or does it just count less in your mind when some team "other" than Boston tries to assemble the talent necessary for a title run?

Also...someone should ask Charles "the most annoying human being to ever go from the court to the studio" Barkley how the "carrying the entire weight by himself" worked for him when it came to winning championships.

[Fau Teixeira]

1 - lebron didn't join magic and bird .. last i checked .. wade and bosh weren't the defending champions, in fact has either won a playoff series since 2006 ?

it's not like lebron said .. oh i can't beat kobe .. or i keep losing to orlando or boston .. so i'm gonna join orlando/boston/LA .. no .. he went to a team that hasn't won a playoff series in 4 years .. that 3 years ago had the worst record in the NBA

I think comparing that to MJ joining the celtics or lakers is complete crap

2 - every team you mentioned made moves to compete for a title, even the knicks got LJ to help ewing. Cleveland has not gotten even one good player in their prime to come join lebron. they signed a too old shaq. When the next best player on your team is flopper varejao, that says alot about the amateur hour GM job danny ferry did.

3 - MJ is a douchebag. And he's definately not the best player to ever play the game. Not even close. I'll concede he's the best marketed player ever. That's a fact. But as far as impact on the game, drive to win titles and overall value to his franchise, he's a distant finisher to Bill Russell. You can't compare a player taking a few years off to play minor league ball to a player that won 11 titles in 13 years. What was it .. 8 in a row?

4 - where was all this criticism of players when KG ran to boston to pick up a ring on pierce's team ? Where was all the criticism of Kobe because he couldn't win one without the lakers practically stealing Gasol ? "Kobe how my ass taste" .. that sound familiar ? .. that's what happens when one of the best players in the NBA doesn't have an all-star teammate.

5 - when lebron wins his 5th title with the heat .. his legacy will be doing just fine and this whole thing will be just a footnote.

[Dave Gray]

How many championships did he win when he was teamed with with Hakeem Olajuwon and Charles Barkley?

How many when he was in Portland?

How many in Chicago when MJ wasn't there?

SP was a good player w/o MJ, but he was great player when MJ was on the court with him.  MJ had a way of making every player on the team around him look great and better than they were around him.

That's not fair to say that Pippen couldn't win without Jordan, without saying that Jordan couldn't win without Pippen.  How many championships did Jordan win with the Wizards?

MJ style of play had a tendency to elevate the play of everyone around him.  Lebron doesn’t do that.

I disagree.  Lebron led a team of bums to the best record in the NBA.  He couldn't do it by himself in the playoffs.

[gocowboys31]

So, does that mean you are discounting the Celtics' recent championship, or does it just count less in your mind when some team "other" than Boston tries to assemble the talent necessary for a title run?

Also...someone should ask Charles "the most annoying human being to ever go from the court to the studio" Barkley how the "carrying the entire weight by himself" worked for him when it came to winning championships.

Pierce, Garnett, and Allen were never considered the best player in the NBA at any point in there career's. Garnett gave 12 years of service to Minnesota, and Allen played for the bucks and sonics not exactly winning franchises. Plus, when the celtics were assembled it was only going to be for a short period of time. Whether you or anybody else wants to believe it lebron James is held to a different standard. I have no problem with a team assembling as much talent as possible, but I have a problem with the percieved best player in the game having to run to another top 3 player in the game Wade to win a title. Again, kings and chosen one's don't run from the challenge, they accept it.

[Fau Teixeira]

And Lebron didn't run from any challenge in Cleveland, he fulfilled his contract, he played exactly at the level his high pay required. He was back-to-back MVP of the league. I don't know how you can ask any single player to do more for a team. When faced with a crap franchise, crap owner, crap GM and you have the option to go to what is widely considered one of the best organizations with one of the best owners and an experienced championship caliber front office in a city that's light years better than crapland no brainer.

[TonyB0D]

Lebron is a primadonna douch, and a majorly immature asshole behind closed doors.  This is what the public doesn't know about him, but it is true.  The kid never grew up and is just a major jerk who's really good at not letting the outside world see it.