“Magic the only one that can say ‘you know what LeBron? I can match you step for step bro’” - Shannon Sharpe talks about LeBron James’ success by the age of 22, says he had to do everything in the shadow of Michael Jordan

LeBron James' long-time friend and agent Rich Paul has given his take on the GOAT debate, saying that James' path to greatness was just as hard, if not harder, than that of Michael Jordan. His statement sparked several reactions, including one from sports analyst Shannon Sharpe.

Jordan fans have always talked about how Jordan played in a more difficult era with hand-checking and a lot fewer rules to favor offensive players. They quickly referenced the Bad Boy Detroit Pistons who had it out for Jordan, brutalizing him any chance they got. While that is popular knowledge, Paul believes James has had an equally hellish experience, if not more.

“The road for LeBron was just as hard, if not harder than the road was for Michael.”

Sharpe, on the latest episode of Skip and Shannon: Undisputed, agrees with Paul. He talked about how James had to rescue a franchise at 18 and deal with the comparisons parisons to Jordan.

"I do because LeBron James had to do everything I'm the shadow of Michael Jordan. Michael Jordan never had to worry about a comparison."

Sharpe added that Jordan wasn't subject to the same intense scrutiny as James.

"I don't think Michael had people smiling in his face, all the while hoping that he fails, That's what LeBron had to go through, and still currently goes through."

Sharpe then later added that he agrees with Rich Paul's sentiments about James.

"I don't really know everything that Rich said, and without the context that he's saying it in, but I agree."

After pointing out James' early success against the Pistons, he concluded by saying that he believes only Magic Johnson achieved what LeBron did at age 22.

"Magic the only one that can say, 'you know what LeBron? I can match you step for step bro. Step for step bro because at 20 I won a championship, and I was Finals MVP. So, I agree with everything Rich Paul said."

---

Michael Jordan and LeBron James are undoubtedly two of the greatest players in basketball history

LeBron James #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers dunks against the Portland Trail Blazers

The NBA has been blessed with several incredible talents, from all-time scoring leader Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to Bill Russell, who has won the most championships in league history (11). But with the GOAT debate being just between LeBron James and Michael Jordan, it goes to show how great they both are.

Before the Jordan era, Russell was seen as the greatest because it was incredible to see a player win 11 rings in a 13-year career. Although Jordan did not win as many titles, his dominance and impact on the game was unparalleled.

With the advent of James, people started to question Jordan's GOAT status. To many, James is arguably the most complete player, he is fast, strong, has impressive court vision, and an incredibly high basketball IQ.

James has a 4-10 record in the NBA Finals, which compared to Jordan's perfect 6-6 run, spells inefficiency. But some will argue that the era, team makeup and level of competition were a lot different in their respective primes.

One can go on and on about different takes and viewpoints regarding who the GOAT is. What remains true is that nobody has performed at the level of both James and Jordan during their careers.

Coming into the season, the LA Lakers were one of the favorites to advance from the Western Conference, but they have been disappointing so far. Nonetheless, James is still hungry for a fifth title and cannot be written off if the Lakers successfully qualify for the playoffs.

The four-time NBA champ is averaging 29.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 6.5 assists while shooting 52.2% from the field. He is the third-best scorer in the league behind Joel Embiid (29.6) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (29.4) and would undoubtedly have been in the MVP conversation if the Lakers were more successful.

Jordan, who has won ten scoring titles and six NBA championships in his career, is now the owner of the Charlotte Hornets. He is still in search of his first title as an executive, and will likely have to wait beyond the 2022 playoffs.