"He's gonna, at least, get me to the playoffs" - Skip Bayless picks Aaron Rodgers over LeBron James

Aaron Rodgers or LeBron James? Skip Bayless posed a question most people might have thought about at one time or another. Although the players perform in different sports, they are both unquestionably great at their job, and they can both be a lightning rod of praise or controversy due to their personalities and the way teammates and opposing players react to them.

In his latest episode of “The Skip Bayless Show,” Bayless answered his own question: Who would you build a championship team around? Rodgers or James?:

"I do not care for Aaron Rodgers, as I have made very clear on ‘Undisputed.’ LeBron is a much nicer and better guy. In fact, he's nice to a fault, I always say. Not enough killer instinct in him. No [Michael] Jordan. I would much rather spend time with and around LeBron, but if I'm starting a team right here, right now, give me Aaron bleepin' Rodgers.”

Bayless expounded on his answer by saying that Rodgers would, at least, get him to the playoffs because he has won back-to-back MVPs:

"All I know is, he's gonna, at least, get me to the playoffs, as opposed to LeBron because all Aaron [has] done is win back-to-back MVPs. I can't argue with that."

Bayless chose Aaron Rodgers over LeBron James based on the fact that he thinks Rodgers will get his team to the playoffs, whereas James would not be able to accomplish that feat. Given the Los Angeles Lakers’ freefall out of the play-in tournament this season in the NBA, Bayless’ opinion is certainly rooted in the state of Rodgers' and James’ current success (or lack of) in getting their respective teams to the postseason.

Aaron Rodgers' and LeBron James’ postseason resumes

American football and basketball are two different sports, so it’s difficult to compare two players from these two sports. While both sports are team sports, football includes more total players on the field (22), while basketball has fewer total players on the court (10). Additionally, football players only play one side of the field (i.e., Aaron Rodgers does not play cornerback when the Green Bay Packers are on defense), whereas basketball players are expected to play both offense and defense.

Both Aaron Rodgers and LeBron James are unquestionably talented, and most of their peers (and fans alike) would consider either player one of the greatest athletes to ever play their respective sports.

James is currently the top NBA player with the most playoff wins (174), and he has an impeccable playoff win percentage of 65.41%. At one point, James had a run of eight consecutive NBA Finals appearances from 2011 to 2018. He is a four-time NBA champion, winning titles with the Miami Heat (2012, 2013), Cleveland Cavaliers (2016), and the Los Angeles Lakers (2020). He’s appeared in the NBA Finals 10 out of 18 seasons and owns a 4-6 Finals win-loss record. If anything, James’ legacy is clouded by his Finals record, even if he’s appeared in the NBA Finals for more than half of his career as the best player on his team.

In contrast, Aaron Rodgers has one Super Bowl win out of two Super Bowl appearances. Rodgers is 11-10 as a starter in the postseason. With the exception of Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, who won six Super Bowls over two decades, the NFL has more parity than the NBA. Football requires more out of the team than basketball. While Rodgers can dominate on the offensive side, he cannot help his team on the defensive side. LeBron James, by contrast, is known for his offensive prowess, but he is, also, a plus defender.

Comparing Aaron Rodgers to LeBron James is similar to comparing apples and oranges. Both players are elite athletes for their respective sports, but it’s still difficult to line up accomplishments and failures when both sports are so different. When comparing their success in the postseason alone, Skip Bayless believes that Rodgers is the best choice due to his ability to take his team to the postseason (and takes into consideration the Lakers' increased chances of missing the playoffs this season), but that take ignores James’ ability to make whatever team he plays for an instant contender, given his NBA Finals record of 10 appearances in 18 seasons (not counting this season).