Michael Jordan’s ex-teammate B.J. Armstrong challenges LeBron James

B.J. Armstrong, a player agent who played with Michael Jordan for six seasons, is advising LeBron James to stop trying to compare himself to the greats.

B.J. Armstrong, a player agent who played with Michael Jordan for six seasons, is advising LeBron James to stop trying to compare himself to the greats.

In an interview with Sports Illustrated’s Lee Jenkins, James revealed that Jordan’s legacy inspires him. “My motivation is the ghost I'm chasing,” James said. “The ghost played in Chicago.”

Armstrong is challenging James to drop the pursuit.

Speaking with ESPN’s Chris Broussard on Tuesday, the 48-year-old said “chasing a ghost is in make-believe land,” and that James should simply focus on the present.

From ESPN:

This is to LeBron James: If you want to be the best, get rid of the comparisons. Get rid of all the comparisons that are out there. That's what Michael Jordan did. Jordan realized that in order to be the best you had to get rid of all the comparisons. When you compared Jordan to somebody else, it made him more and more upset. That was with guys who played before him, guys he was playing against, and guys in the future.

So my challenge to LeBron is: This ghost has a face to him. So get rid of all the comparisons because Jordan, unequivocally, did not want you to compare him to anyone.

Armstrong currently represents Derrick Rose, Draymond Green and Bismack Biyombo among others. He won three titles while playing in Chicago with Jordan.