LeBron James names 2 most influential NBA players; excludes Michael Jordan for completely non-offensive reasons

The basketball podcast landscape has become oversaturated with numerous shows. However, there is a lack of podcasts that focus on the specifics of the sport. Of course, there are podcasts like The Old Man and the Threesome, but they are few and far between. LeBron James and JJ Redick aim to fill that void with new show, “Mind the game.”

The first episode of the show aired just over two hours ago. During the 44-minute running time, LeBron and Redick discussed a variety of topics. However, it was LeBron’s insight into the impact of Steph Curry and Allen Iverson that got the most attention.LeBron calls Steph and Allen Iverson “Two of the most influential people” In modern basketball. However, he left Michael Jordan off his list for reasons that had nothing to do with basketball. He said, “Allen Iverson and Steph, they’re very relatable. Kids feel like they can be them. They’re guys who aren’t always counted on. “They’re undersized just to keep the odds alive. ”

LeBron further added: “These two people are the two most influential people. When you talk about their game, how they changed the game, and the kids. “Those two are the guys you want to watch every night.” LeBron was right in his assessment of the impact of Steph and Allen Iverson on the NBA, but Michael Jordan’s impact on and off the court was on another level.

Is LeBron James wrong about Michael Jordan’s influence?

It’s safe to say that Michael Jordan is the most outstanding player in the NBA. He joined the league in 1984 and was selected to the All-Star Game for the first time in his first season. His incredible talent on the court completely revitalized the Chicago Bulls fan base.before michael jordan arrived ‘The windy city,’ The United Center was nearly empty due to the poor performance. However, during Jordan’s first season, attendance increased by 87%.

Michael Jordan’s impact was not limited to Chicago. Even covers the entire NBA. During the glory days of the Bulls dynasty (1991 to 1998), NBA ratings reached their peak. The NBA experienced its highest average ratings between 1995 and 1999, coinciding with the dominant era of Michael Jordan’s Bulls. In fact, the lockout-shortened 1998-99 season averaged 3.1 million viewers. The NBA hasn’t seen numbers like that since.

However, Jordan’s most important impact was off the court rather than on it. In 1984, Jordan signed a five-year endorsement contract with Nike worth $2.5 million. Few could have predicted the impact this collaboration between Nike and Jordan would have on the world. In 1985, Nike launched Air Jordan 1. Nike expects to recoup about $3 million within the first four years of the shoe’s release. However, it defied those expectations, and the sneaker brought Nike an estimated $126 million in revenue in just one year. Since then, Michael Jordan has received over a billion dollars in royalties from Nike. With these facts and figures, it is safe to say that Michael Jordan is the most influential player in NBA history. What do you think? Let us know in the comments below!