ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith Says Michael Jordan’s Resume Speaks Louder Than LeBron James’

Stephen A. Smith points to LeBron James’ lack of versatility as why he isn’t the G.O.A.T.

A lot of sports fans can’t wait to see ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith and NFL Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe debate on First Take.

Well, they might have gotten a sneak peak at it.

On Friday, a video went viral of Sharpe’s podcast Club Shay Shay. During the video, Smith and Sharpe took on the famous G.O.A.T. argument. Per usual, Sharpe sided with LeBron James but Smith responded with Michael Jordan’s countless achievements.

“Do you understand that Jordan is 6-0 in the NBA Finals?,” Smith said. “And you understand Jordan was MVP in all six NBA Finals? Do you understand that Jordan never even allowed a Finals series to go seven games? It never went seven games. 10-time NBA scoring champion, nine-time All-Defensive First Team, you do know that, right? Is LeBron on both sides of the ball, is he that dominant?”

Jordan’s resume can’t be denied. Not only did he continuously collect most of the NBA’s awards but his skill set dominated the league. With the ability to execute both offensively and defensively, he quickly became one of the greatest all-around players.

But then James came along. His first seven years with the Cleveland Cavaliers were amazing but often shrugged off due to the lack of a championship. When he joined the Heat in 2010, it all changed. Along with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, he led them to four straight playoff appearances from 2010-2014 and back-to-back championships in 2012 and 2013.

The only aspect James gets criticized for is his lack of defense. Still, he was the runner-up for the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2013, which ultimately went to Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol.

It may seem like Jordan is ahead of James in the G.O.A.T. debate but they might be closer than expected.

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Cory Nelson is a contributor to Inside The Heat. He attended Northern Virginia Community College. He can be reached at corymckenzienelson@hotmail.com or follow him on Twitter @CKenzyNelson. You can also check out his personal blog HERE.