"The road for LeBron was just as hard, if not harder than the road was for Michael" - Rich Paul compares the career path of LeBron James to Michael Jordan

LeBron James is closing in on becoming the NBA's all-time leading scorer. As such, the debate about who is the greatest of all time between him and Michael Jordan is heating up.

James' long-time friend and agent Rich Paul chimed in, comparing career paths of the two legendary players.

In a piece by The Athletic counting down the 75 greatest players in NBA history, LeBron came in at second. Jordan will likely be number one. Paul believes that "The King" had a harder path to greatness compared to Jordan.

"The road for LeBron was just as hard, if not harder than the road was for Michael. For a number of reasons. And I think the biggest reason is, everyone wants you to do something the way somebody else did it previously."

"LeBron was a kid. The media wanted LeBron to be like Mike. They wanted Michael to speak to them in any capacity, which he probably didn’t. They wanted Michael to be his friend, which he probably wasn’t. They also wanted LeBron to act like, be like Michael, and he wasn’t. There were more people that smiled and hoped LeBron failed than there ever was rooting for him to succeed in the beginning."

The career paths of both LeBron James and Michael Jordan were totally different. James was drafted first overall out of high school, while Jordan was a junior when he was selected with the third overall pick.

Many did not expect Jordan to become the greatest ever, while James came into the NBA as the "Chosen One."

James was already a star in high school and considered a generational talent.

Jordan was beloved throughout his time in the NBA, unlike James, who is one of the most polarizing figures in sports history. Nevertheless, "The King" has come closer to the G.O.A.T. talk than people would have imagined.

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LeBron James still playing great in 19th season

LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Los Angeles Lakers might be struggling heading into the All-Star break, but LeBron James is still having an incredible season. At 37 years old, James is averaging 29.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.0 blocks per game.

James is third in scoring and still has a shot at winning the scoring title if he remains healthy for the rest of the season.

He's also expected to become the second all-time greatest scorer in NBA history by the end of the season. "The King" is already the league's all-time scorer for the regular season plus playoffs.

With James still going strong, he's expected to play at least one more year and try to beat Kareem Abdul Jabbar's scoring record. He's also expressed his desire to play with his son Bronny in the league, so he could still be playing until the 2024-25 NBA season.