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LeBron James Makes His Opinion of Michael Jordan Extremely Clear

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Cole Sullivan | Last updated Jan 4, 2025 12:49 PM ET

Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James achieved a historic milestone on Friday night in a win over the Atlanta Hawks, surpassing the legendary Michael Jordan for the most 30-plus point games in NBA history, with 563.

This remarkable accomplishment is yet another testament to James' ability to defy the odds. Just days after turning 40 years old on Dec. 30, he continues to prove he’s still one of the best players in the league, even at an age when many players have already retired or are nearing the end of their careers.

In an interview this week, James acknowledged that, if he wanted to, he believes he could continue playing at a high level for another five to seven years. However, he made it clear that retirement is on the horizon and he has no intention of extending his career indefinitely.

Despite his longevity and continued success, James took a moment to reflect on the historic milestone of surpassing Jordan. After the Lakers’ victory, he shared his deep admiration for the NBA legend, making it clear how much respect he has for Jordan’s legacy in the sport.

"Anytime I'm mentioned with any of the greats, and arguably the greatest to ever play the game... I wear 23 because of him," James said. "So to be in the room, or the conversation... or whatever it is, when you mention MJ, it's super duper dope for me, being a kid where I'm from."

LeBron James speaks about passing Michael Jordan in career 30-point games and doing it on a fadeaway jumper: “Just two masters of their craft” pic.twitter.com/MZ88uQv2qx
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) January 4, 2025

Many often try to spark a debate between LeBron James and Michael Jordan about who’s better, more accomplished, and so on. However, both players competed in different eras with distinct styles of play, and each has had an extraordinary career. Regardless of who ranks No. 1 or No. 2, they are universally regarded as the two greatest basketball players of all time.

The mutual respect between the two legends seems unwavering, and while James continues to perform at an elite level, he has made it clear that the end of his career is drawing near, which will certainly be a memorable, yet sad day for the basketball world after everything he has accomplished in his illustrious career.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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