Did LeBron James ever play against Michael Jordan in the NBA? (Getty Images)
On April 16, 2003, Michael Jordan bid farewell to the NBA for the third and last time, ending his legendary career at the age of 40. At the end of the game against the 76ers, Jordan, who plays for the Wizards, contributed 15 points in 28 minutes in a loss to Philadelphia.
On the other hand, LeBron James entered the NBA for the Cleveland Cavaliers as the No. 1 pick in the 2003 draft. On October 29, 2003, at the age of 18, he made his debut against the Sacramento Kings. Although he scored 25 points, 6 rebounds, 9 assists and 4 steals, the Cavaliers lost 106-92.
The timeline shows LeBron and Jordan never met in an official NBA game.
Jordan retired and James entered the league in the same year, with a six-month gap in between, avoiding direct conflict on the professional court.
In theory, the Wizards have a chance against the Wizards. Jordan could have played against LeBron’s Cavaliers.
When LeBron James Faced Michael Jordan at 16 – Training Camp Edition
During a conversation on UNINTERRUPTED’s WRTS: After Party in May 2020, LeBron James revealed that he and Jordan were teammates briefly at Jordan’s training camp in Santa Barbara, California.
As a rookie entering the NBA, James participated in training camp, played with Jordan, and even recalled the game where 16-year-old LeBron faced Jordan and Jordan hit the game-winning shot with his iconic follow-up.
While not an official NBA rivalry, their history includes time on the court together during these memorable training camp moments.
LeBron James vs Michael Jordan – The GOAT Debate
The debate between LeBron James and Michael Jordan as the greatest basketball player of all time (GOAT) is a long-running, subjective discussion.
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In this game-by-game statistical comparison between Michael Jordan and LeBron James, several key metrics highlight their respective playing styles and contributions.
Michael Jordan averaged 30.1 points per game, followed by LeBron James at 27.2 points per game.
In terms of rebounds, LeBron outperformed Jordan, averaging 7.5 rebounds to Jordan’s 6.2.
In terms of helping the team, LeBron’s assist performance is very good, averaging 7.3 assists per game, surpassing Jordan’s 5.3 assists.
Defensively, Jordan averaged 2.3 steals per game, while LeBron averaged 1.5 steals per game.
Both players have similar progress in blocking, averaging 0.8 blocks per game.
In terms of field goal percentage, LeBron shot slightly higher at 50.5%, while Jordan maintained an impressive 49.7%.
In their respective playoff careers, Michael Jordan has played in 179 games, while LeBron James has participated in 282 playoff games so far. Comparing their game averages, Jordan averaged 33.4 points per game, while James averaged 28.5 points per game.
However, James performed well in rebounding, averaging 9.0 rebounds per game, surpassing Jordan’s 6.4. In terms of organizing offense, James’ average assists (7.2) is also higher than Jordan’s 5.7.
Defensively, Jordan’s average steals per game (2.1) is slightly higher than James’s 1.7, and the two’s blocks are also very close. Jordan averages 0.9 blocks per game and James averages 1.0 blocks per game.
Both players showed high efficiency, with Jordan shooting 48.7% from the field and James shooting a slightly higher 49.5%.
LeBron James has participated in the NBA Finals 10 times, achieved eight consecutive championships from 2011 to 2018, and won the NBA championship four times. In addition, James won the MVP award four times in 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2013.
From 1984 to 2003, Michael Jordan won six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls in his 15-season career. In addition to his glorious honors, Jordan also won the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) award six times.
According to a survey conducted by ESPN, 57% of respondents believe Michael Jordan is the greatest player of all time (GOAT), while 36% are either choosing LeBron James or think the comparison is too close. Make a decision. Notably, only 52% of 18- to 34-year-olds said they preferred Michael Jordan to LeBron James.