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What does LeBron need to do to surpass Jordan?

HeavenHarris said:
prolly nothin he can do to attain jordan status, tbh. a huge reason jordan is JORDAN is cuz basketball boomed in popularity at around the same time, endorsements/money became huge factors, and the sport/industry was revolutionized forever. Jordan helped put the NBA on the map, and made basketball a global game. Gatorade. Nike. Air Jordans. LBJ will never be able to build a legacy like MJ did with those brands. LeBron can only build upon it. People will make the case he was a better basketball player than MJ if he wins some more titles, but he'll likely never be unanimous/consensus GOAT. Maybe in basketball circles people will give him GOAT status, but he'll never be like mike in the court of (casual fan) public opinion--which is the majority. Jordan was a great player, but he also had the great fortune of being in the right place at the right time. Maybe if he wins just an obscene number of titles, 8+.
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I feel similarly, that's why I said either 5 straight or 7 total.

I don't think the public opinion is unchangeable. If LeBron does win 7 titles or something, and people like Charles Barkley start calling him the GOAT, people will take notice, and many people's opinion's will start morphing. Casual fans are just sheep, after all.

For the record, if I had to predict, I'd guess that LeBron goes down as #2 all time. But I don't think it's impossible for him to become the best basketball player ever in most people's minds, even if it is impossible for him to reach the level "stardom" from endorsement deals, putting basketball on the map, and so on, as you described.
 
Dont tell this to Thriller, guy thinks LeBron is already better.

LeBron needed a team of Wade and Bosh to win his chips. His teams struggled against a retitement home caliber Celtics in the ECF, and LeBron needed the heroics of Ray Allen to get his ring last year.

Jordan had Pip and odman. Also had Phil Jack.. whom only coached teams who donned superstar players. I mean all in all.. who really knows. LeBron has owned the 2k era of basketball, but how would he have fared in the 90s with tougher rules, and a less subliminal referee roster.
 
I think what he needs is game winners. He does last second heroics his reputation will increase. I mean he does good decision making late in the game, seeing the better positioned player and passing him a sweet pass that allows muscle memory C&S mechanics. But kids don't like passing, they like scoring ;)
 
heyhey said:
No one has ever dominated quite like Mike. The insane talent that was playing during his era is a stage that Lebron will never have the opportunity to prove himself on.
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I would argue that the NBA is more talented today than it was 20 years ago, to the degree that Jordan would not stand out in the same way if he played today. By contrast, in the 60s and 70s there were many players who dominated, a few even more so than Jordan.
 
actually, i think 'casual' fans will never accept LeBron as GOAT. MJ will always be the best to the average joe.
but in all honesty, im no lebron fan but as a hardcore basketball junkie and a historical student of the game, i can appreciate what this dude does.
i think lebron will deserve consideration to be the best on-court basketball player of all time. And I also think he has a legit. shot at 8 championships.
 
Is he even the best SFOAT right now? To me, he has yet to even propel himself past Bird and Magic.
 
it's tough to appreciate and rank players while they're currently playing. he's making it look so easy right now it's easy to lose track of just how historically great he is. give it some time to sink in.
 
30 years from now, neither Jordan nor James will be in most people's conversation of the GoAT. The popular conception of the GoAT will always be affected by nostalgia, and people have little nostalgia for players they barely remember.
 
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