michael jordan or lebron james? it is one of the essential questions in the modern era of sports fandom, encompassing facts and biases, statistics and anecdotal evidence, and the ever-shifting barometer of cultural relevance. it turns friends into foes, barbershops into the site of parliamentary debates, and the super bowl lii champions into bickering schoolchildren. the question of jordan or lebron may live on for longer than they do. so, before we fully gear up for what should be a frenzied second half of the season, why not celebrate and examine the impact of two of the most influential players in basketball history?
welcome to jordan-lebron week.
viewers of the 2011 nba playoffs might remember a particular basketball-related snippet that aired relentlessly throughout that postseason in a trailer for the raunchy comedy bad teacher.
“you’re out of your mind,” jason segel’s gym teacher yells at a student in this exchange. “there is no way that lebron will ever beat jordan. nobody will ever beat jordan, ok? ”
“lebron’s a better rebounder and passer,” the kid shouts back.
segel’s retort is quick and dismissive: “call me when lebron has six championships.”
