Why Dwyane Wade Was Wrong About LeBron James vs Michael Jordan

Jun 22, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James, left in yellow cap, celebrates during the NBA championship parade in downtown Cleveland. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 22, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James, left in yellow cap, celebrates during the NBA championship parade in downtown Cleveland. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
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Apr 4, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; NBA former player Michael Jordan and NCAA president Mark Emmert during halftime of the game between the Villanova Wildcats and the North Carolina Tar Heels in the championship game of the 2016 NCAA Men
Apr 4, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; NBA former player Michael Jordan and NCAA president Mark Emmert during halftime of the game between the Villanova Wildcats and the North Carolina Tar Heels in the championship game of the 2016 NCAA Men

With that being said, let’s get to the comparison.

Lebron James:

  • 4 more NBA Finals appearances
  • 1 more NBA Most Valuable Player award
  • 3 more NBA All-Star appearances
  • 1 more NBA All Star Game MVP award
  • 3 more All-NBA First Team selections
  • 1 more All-NBA Second Team selections

Michael Jordan:

  • 1 more Defensive Player of the Year award
  • 1 more NBA All-Defensive First Team selection

Since LeBron had three more years of experience, this comparison can seem a little lopsided. However, LeBron did had one more MVP award, but Jordan earned the Defensive Player of the Year award.

At their peaks, who had the better year?

When talking about “peak years” when referring to a player, I think of the year where the player was most dominant and put up the best numbers. With that being said, which of the two players best year is the best?

Michael Jordan:

  • 1988-1989, Chicago Bulls (47-35) , Age 25, 81 games played
  • Per Game Averages: 32.5 points, 8 assists, 8 rebounds, 2.9 steals, .8 blocks, 53.8 FG%, 85 FT%, 27.6 3pt%

LeBron James:

  • 2012-2013, Miami Heat (66-16) , Age 28, 76 games played
  • Per Game Averages: 26.8 points, 7.3 assists, 8 rebounds, 1.7 steals, .9 blocks , 56.5 FG%, 75.3 FT%, 40.6 3pt%

So who had the better season? LeBron finished with 66 wins and Michael Jordan finished with 47 wins. However, Jordan played more games and averaged more points per game.