"MJ was not even close to making an All-NBA team" - Shannon Sharpe believes LeBron James' stint with LA Lakers puts Michael Jordan's Wizards era to shame

NBA and Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James and his constant comparisons with Michael Jordan at this point are inevitable as anything and everything the Lakers superstar does will be compared to MJ.

On Fox Sports morning show Skip and Shannon: Undisputed, former NFL star Shannon Sharpe spoke about how the duo towards the end of their careers and how King James is still in contention to be considered one of the best players in the league while MJ was not. Sharpe said:

"In his last 2 years, was MJ a Top 10 player? No. No matter what you think of him, no matter what you think of LeBron James, do you believe currently he is a top-10 player? I believe you do. No question about that. Jordan, in those years at Washington, was not even close to making an All-NBA team. LeBron James will be 1st or 2nd Team All-NBA in Year 19. No question about it."

King James has had a sensational year personally this season for the Lakers but that hasn't translated into wins. Meanwhile, Michael Jordan's time with the Washington Wizards was filled with injuries as the franchise missed out on the postseason in both seasons.

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Correlation between Michael Jordan and LeBron James

Two of the greatest players to pick up a basketball: Michael Jordan, left, and LeBron James

Michael Jordan and LeBron James – the two greatest players of all time – have been in constant comparison ever since James debuted in 2003. Anything and everything James accomplishes is an opportunity for the media and the fans to bring the age-old debate back to life.

The media has played a huge part in creating a narrative of LeBron essentially chasing MJ to be the greatest of all time. However, we should keep in mind that these two players have played in different eras, with a slight difference in rules. The league has also taken on a different identity since Jordan's time as the face of the league.

The two also played in different positions and were required to do different things to contribute to the team's success. Jordan was asked to carry the scoring burden throughout his career. But King James has regularly been asked to run the offense and get other players involved.

The game was also played in a completely different way, as today's NBA is more 3-point oriented. The former Chicago Bulls superstar played at a time when most of the damage was done inside the arc rather than from the perimeter.

While we will never truly and definitively know who the better player is, it is an interesting conversation to have. It is one that piques the interest of NBA fans all around the globe as everybody seems to be able to make a case for why their favorite player is the greatest of all time.