Quote (piatek @ Jun 17 2020 10:01pm)
Jordan was faster and jumped higher/further than LeBron. Recency bias is a terrible thing.
Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant were two of the greatest basketball players I've ever seen on the basketball court. But neither could play all five positions like LeBron James. There's something truly special and unique with LeBron's athleticism and body composition. As great as Michael Jordan was he didn't have the wide body and girth to defend the stronger centers and power forwards. I've seen Jordan try to defend Hakeem Olajuwon a few times (nostalgic Rockets vs. Bulls games in the '80s and '90s), for example, and Olajuwon just shook him off with ease and gracefully spun around him for an easy basket or gave him the vintage dream shake.
To that notion does anybody remember Shaquille O'Neal with the Orlando Magic during his early years? He was literally the strongest force on the planet inside the paint and he could dribble the ball up the court like a polished point guard! He once challenged Michael Jordan during an all-star practice in 1996 and he schooled Jordan with a taste of his own medicine. A vicious mid-range jumper.
Shaq was so unstoppable to say the least! I'm still impressed 25 years later that the Houston Rockets had won the 1995 NBA Finals as a 6th seed. Sweeping Shaq and Penny in the NBA Finals. That Orlando Magic team was so unbelievable and talented. They defeated Jordan's Bulls in the second round. That's how dominant Olajuwon was during the 1995 NBA Playoffs. We may never see a center dominate a playoffs like that ever again. Knocking out the 3rd, 2nd, 1st and 1st seeds in each round. He also destroyed the league MVP, David Robinson, in the 1995 Western Conference Finals.
I'm old enough to have watched all of Michael Jordan's career. Is he the GOAT? I may concede that, but the most athletic player in NBA history?
TL:DR - If you really forced yourself to you can likely name a handful of players that were more athletic than Michael Jordan.