The NBA’s never-ending GOAT debate-LeBron James vs. Michael Jordan-just got a new wrinkle. While fans and analysts endlessly compare stats, rings, and highlights, it turns out MJ himself might be fueling the rivalry behind the scenes.
According to NBA insider Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson, Jordan still treats LeBron like an active competitor rather than someone who deserves guidance. On the Basketball Society podcast, Robinson explained that Jordan isn’t about to help James climb any higher on the all-time ladder.
“Michael and LeBron’s conversations will enhance more when LeBron is towards the end,” Robinson said. “You don’t want to give your competitor any type of advice to chase me.”
The Shadow of Chicago
Robinson also noted that part of LeBron’s career choices were influenced by Jordan’s presence. The Akron native never seriously considered joining the Bulls because of the constant comparisons. Instead, much like Kyrie Irving sidestepping the Knicks, LeBron avoided putting himself directly in the shadow of a franchise defined by legends.
For now, Jordan keeps his distance. He’s not handing out mentorship tips that could give LeBron an edge in his pursuit of six-or more-rings. Until James is no longer seen as a threat, the relationship between the two icons stays in that gray area: respect without true closeness.
Rivalries Go Beyond the Court
Interestingly, Robinson connected this rivalry to his own career in sports media. During his early years at NBC, he felt older journalists tested him in the same way veteran Lakers once tested a young Kobe Bryant. It wasn’t hazing for fun-it was a way of protecting status.
“In my field, I felt that level of rites of passage,”Robinson said. “Bullies bully because they were bullied.” For him, the treatment in the newsroom mirrored how Kobe had to prove himself in the NBA, and how LeBron still faces scrutiny even after two decades of dominance.
The comparison rings true: greatness rarely arrives without resistance. Kobe felt it, Robinson experienced it, and LeBron still lives it every season.
With LeBron openly chasing more championships in the final stretch of his career, the tug-of-war with Jordan’s legacy won’t be quieting down. As ESPN’s Brian Windhorst once put it, LeBron has always been “chasing shadows”-first Magic Johnson, and now Michael Jordan.
The story is still unfolding. And until LeBron writes his final chapter, Jordan’s ghost will keep flipping through the pages.
Read the full article here
