The debate about who’s the best basketball player of all-time will go on forever. With every new era in the NBA, there’ll be a new player put into the conversation with the likes of Michael Jordan, LeBron James and current Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant. Recently, Jordan was asked about one-on-one battles with the best of the best while promoting NBA2K14. Jordan had an interesting answer regarding a head-to-head matchup with Kobe via ESPN.com as of Oct. 1:
"I don't think I would lose," Jordan, 50, says in the video, before smiling and adding, "other than to Kobe Bryant, because he steals all of my moves."
Jordan, like Kobe, is not one to admit he’d lose to anyone. In the past, Jordan has maintained his stance that he’d come out on top against anyone to stand in his way, but shows some respect to Kobe who is arguably the closest in comparison to skill set and style of play.
Kobe responded via Twitter to Jordan’s comment about stealing moves with the following tweet on Oct. 1:
“Domino effect. I stole some of his..this generation stole some of mine #thecycle”
Obviously, this one-on-one showdown between Kobe and Jordan never took place and never will. Jordan turned 50 back in February and Kobe is getting up there as well recently turning 35 back in August, but the debate will rage on.
As for LeBron, Jordan didn’t hesitate to say he’d beat the reigning two-time NBA champion of the Miami Heat. Although LeBron is arguably the best player in the NBA today and a freak in terms of dominating the game with a physical presence that hasn’t been seen since Shaquille O’Neal in his prime, many who saw Jordan play in his prime would either agree with the six-time NBA champion or at least make an argument that it’d be incredibly close.
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