Michael Jordan and LeBron James are widely considered to be the two greatest basketball players of all time. In the case of James, the four-time champ has continued to impress in year 21, leading the LA Lakers to an inaugural NBA Cup win while posting some of the best efficiency numbers of his career. Of course, many still believe the title of GOAT belongs to Michael Jordan.

In addition to leading the Chicago Bulls to two separate three-peats, Michael Jordan’s two-way play give him the edge in the eyes of many fans. On top of his 1988 Defensive Player of the Year award, MJ also led the league in steals three times during his career.

As someone who played against Michael Jordan, and played alongside LeBron James, Ray Allen has a unique perspective on the GOAT debate. The Hall of Famer and elite three-point shooter notably raised NBA gold with LeBron James on the Miami Heat.

Despite that, he still feels as though in regards to the Greatest of All Time debate, Michael Jordan stands alone. While speaking on The Realist Realist, Allen explained:

“Playing against him and MJ, for me it’s MJ all day long … LeBron is probably one of the best passers that the league has seen. MJ, that’s probably the weakest part of his game … But at the same time, MJ didn’t have any other weaknesses.”

Looking at difference in the Michael Jordan vs LeBron James GOAT debate

Ray Allen’s comments about the GOAT debate opened up thoughts in their own right. While some agreed with his assessment, others pointed out that one of the biggest differences in the two players’ games is the fact that Michael Jordan wasn’t known for his three-point shot.

Much of his game relied on his incredible athleticism in the paint, as well as his midrange shot. While LeBron James relied on his size and athleticism early in his career, his game has adapted to the three-point era.

Despite that, as many fans were quick to point out, Jordan averaged 40.0% from beyond the arc in the finals and 34.5% from beyond the arc in the playoffs. On the flip side, LeBron James averaged 35.2% from downtown in the finals and 33.1% from beyond the arc in the playoffs.

Where James edges out Jordan in three-point shooting is his regular season three-point percentage, where he’s averaged 34.5% over his career. Of course, as many were quick to argue back, had Jordan played in the three-point era, those numbers could look quite different. As we’ve seen over the years, the two legends will continue to find themselves mentioned alongside one another when it comes to the greatest of all time.