Former NBA player TJ Ford has compared Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James to legend Michael Jordan, stating that the two are similarly impactful figures in the basketball world and has chosen his GOAT.
Ford noted that both James and Jordan have had a significant impact on the sport, both on and off the court. Both players have achieved sporting success and have used their platform to promote social causes.
“LeBron James can go in the same room,” TJ Ford said on Ur Perspectives. “He can go in the same room as Michael Jordan. His impact around the world is the same as Michael Jordan’s. It looks different, but it’s the same. LeBron James has done the same things that Michael Jordan has done.”
“When it came down to the collective bargaining agreement, Michael Jordan helped change the financial stability for us athletes,” Ford continued. “LeBron James did that coming in. LeBron James is a huge part of the success of why we’re making a lot of money and why guys are now making $50-60 million. He cut the contracts down. So, he was so far ahead of the curve in knowing the business of basketball for himself, that he changed the landscape of our contracts. He changed the landscape of the amount of money we were signing for. So, his impact, if we put it all in a box, is not only on the basketball court but also on the business side of basketball, from a philanthropy standpoint. You have to respect that.”
23xi co-owner Michael Jordan talks with members of his team prior to the running of the NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Cup Series Quaker State 400. IMAGO / Icon Sportswire.
James vs. Jordan: The debate for the best of all time
The discussion about who is the greatest NBA player of all time is endless. LeBron James and Michael Jordan are often mentioned as the leading candidates.
Other notable players in this conversation include Kobe Bryant, Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Wilt Chamberlain. Not only have these players achieved sporting success, but they have also used their platform to promote important causes.
