LeBron James has landed himself in hot water for hitting out at the discourse around ‘ring culture’ in basketball — but it seems Michael Jordan would agree with him.
‘King James’ has won four NBA championships during his illustrious career, but recently pushed back on the idea that a player’s greatness is measured by how many rings he has.
LeBron is a four-time NBA Champion but believes rings aren’t all-importantGetty“Trying to nitpick an individual because he was not able to win a team game or a team match — or whatever the case may be — I don’t know where it started, but it’s a long conversation,” LeBron told Steve Nash on his Mind the Game podcast.
“Especially with me. It’s so weird. It’s never enough.
“I don’t know why it’s discussed so much in our sport and why it’s the end-all, be-all of everything.”
There is no doubting the greatness of an individual like James.
He is a four-time NBA MVP who has scored more points than anyone else in the history of the league.
LeBron has long been compared to Jordan in the ‘GOAT’ debate, and given they both dominated on a personal level, they are often separated on rings alone.
MJ went six-for-six with the Chicago Bulls in the NBA Finals, while James has made 10 trips, winning four of them.
Given his recent comments, we know LeBron doesn’t believe that should be a deciding factor.
A number of years ago, Jordan also spoke on that same topic, and played down the value of titles in the ‘GOAT’ debate as he discussed another sporting great in Tiger Woods.
“That’s how people are judging certain things,” MJ told Marvin R. Shanken during a Cigar Aficionado interview back in 2020, before speaking on his own accomplishments.
Jordan compared his achievements to the great Bill Russell, who has five more rings than himYouTube@cigaraficionado MJ and James both agree that rings should not decide the GOAT debateGetty Jordan won six titles with the Chicago Bulls, going 6 for 6 in the NBA FinalsGetty“I won six championships, Bill Russell won 11. Does that make Bill Russell better than me, or make me better than him?
“No, because we play in different eras.
“So when you try to equate who’s the greatest of all time, it’s an unfair parallel and it’s an unfair choice.”
While MJ and LeBron seem in agreement that rings are not the be-all and end-all of an individual’s greatness, the latter’s recent statement didn’t sit well with Stephen A. Smith.
The ESPN star, who clashed with James courtside earlier this year, claimed the star was talking ‘nonsense’ and slammed him for his blockbuster move to the Miami Heat in 2010 after failing to initially win a title in Cleveland.
Upon moving to South Beach, LeBron formed a ‘superteam’ with Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh and went on to secure his first two championships in 2012 and 2013.
The title-winning trio of LeBron, Wade and Bosh were dubbed the Big 3 in Miami Stephen A. slammed LeBron for his recent claims over NBA ringsX: @FirstTake“If (winning a championship) didn’t mean much or shouldn’t mean much, why were you so relieved to finally have one?” Smith asked on Wednesday’s First Take.
“Why did you depart Cleveland to go to Miami and join forces with Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade to get one?”
“He understood (the importance of winning a ring) departing from Cleveland to go to Miami, and he understood it departing Miami to go back to Cleveland. He understood it arriving in Tinsel Town, with the Lakers.
“He couldn’t be the one person not capturing a championship (in LA), he had to get one.
“It’s nonsense. He understands why.”
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( ‘Unfair choice’ – Rare footage shows Michael Jordan make feelings clear on NBA ring culture as LeBron causes huge stir )
Also on site :