The GOAT debate between Michael Jordan and LeBron James only got bigger after “King James” became the NBA’s all-time top scorer. Some fans who are crossing the line regarding this issue have turned to join James’ legion of fans after the historic feat.
Mario Chalmers, who played with James in Miami for four years, has a different take on the greatest player ever chatted. Here’s what he had to say about the differences between his former teammate and MJ:
“No one is afraid of Bron [James]. Nobody’s like, ‘Damn, I have to fight Bron tonight.’ Nobody said that. I do not know why? Because I see people get scared when they actually line up with him. But they weren’t scared when they thought about that game. You hear anyone from that day talk about going against Jordan, it’s a fear.”
•
“So when you have people who are afraid of one player, that tells you something different already. Jordan is just that guy. Everything is, ‘I want to be like Mike.’”
Mario Chalmers played a key role on the Miami Heat team that won four straight championships and won consecutive NBA titles. He played with LeBron James when the All-Star 19x was at the peak of his fitness.
James and Dwyane Wade have bolstered the former Kansas Jayhawks superstar under their wing. During his reign in Miami, Chalmers was often subjected to the scrutiny and criticism of James and Wade. Chalmers witnessed the MVP four times when he was at his best physically.
Chalmer’s statement should at least come as a surprise to fans of the currently injured LA Lakers superstar. The Miami Heat’s first guard seems to believe that Michael Jordan’s “fear factor” is something even James couldn’t replicate at the height of his power.
Shaquille O’Neal shares the same claim with Mario Chalmers that no one is afraid of LeBron James
Mario Chalmers isn’t the only former LeBron James teammate who thinks the self-proclaimed greatest isn’t as scary as Michael Jordan. Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal expressed the same view as Chalmers.
Here’s Shaq of How NBA Players Look at “King James:”
“LeBron is my guy, but no one has ever been afraid of LeBron. So if you’re not afraid of a certain guy, you’ll have a lot more confidence. He’s a dangerous guy to play with. They respect you.” him, but they weren’t afraid of him because I can tell, I’ve watched him play against them, they weren’t scared.”
In the past few years, it wasn’t James that the opposing players feared. Shaq added:
“Now they’re afraid of Giannis. They’re afraid of Giannis because they can see his face as he walks down the damn path all the way. They can see, yo, this guy isn’t playing.”
The biggest debate of all time involving LeBron James and Michael Jordan will never be completely resolved. Fans will have different opinions on who they choose should be considered the best to ever play the game.
You may also want to read: What did Michael Jordan say when LeBron James broke the all-time goalscoring record?
