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Julius Erving: I don’t think anybody’s done a better job than LeBron James, for one thing, as a current athlete. There are a lot of people who follow his example, with the foundation, the family businesses, and the educational opportunities that he’s provided for youth. Michael Jordan was great in terms of the magnanimity of what he’s been able to do and build, to a three-to-five-billion-dollar empire. There are probably a half-dozen others who are special, with what Tiger Woods was able to do in his years. The success he had on and off the golf course translated into big money. So, I kind of have occupied a certain type of space, and I’ve always thought that popularity is important, but I think respect is more important than popularity. So I’ve always gone the route of: I want people to respect me. And I think when I walk through a door these days, I get a lot of respect. So I might not have as much money as some of the other guys— Interviewer: But they respect you. Julius Erving: But I got the respect.
Expect more of NBC’s “On The Bench” innovation for NBA games going forward. Reflecting on the network’s first season back in the NBA business, NBC Sports executive producer Sam Flood touted many highlights Wednesday – including bringing the voices of Michael Jordan, Snoop Dogg, Caitlin Clark and Lenny Kravitz to some broadcasts, plus finding ways to combine the past and the present. But the big win, in Flood’s eyes, might have been how putting analysts on team benches worked out so well – probably better than many imagined.
ESPN Insights: LeBron James is unreal 😲 157 games with 25 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists. He has 84 more such games than the next-closest player, Michael Jordan (73) 🔥💪
LeBron is unreal 😲
— ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) May 2, 2026
He has 84 more such games than the next-closest player, Michael Jordan (73) 🔥💪 pic.twitter.com/VA0rQL48WZ
Michael Wilbon: Early in LeBron's career, I remember when, you know, there was some criticism in the playoffs when LeBron did not took LeBron seven years like it took Michael Jordan. And there were tough criticisms made of LeBron James. Remember, he took the jersey off when he's walking out of Boston, that final time when he lost to the Celtics. And I remember having a conversation with Michael who said, "Hey, take it easy.” And when you talk about this tomorrow, take it easy on this kid. And here's why: And Michael had a list of reasons of things that he really liked about LeBron James. He didn't have to do that, but he understood what was going to go on publicly cuz he'd been on the other end of that early in his career. People don't remember this when folks said ‘the scoring champion can never win’. He couldn’t beat Detroit three times, lost to the Pistons three in a row, by the way, in the playoffs. So, Michael understood that. Talk about despair in the playoffs. And so he wanted to soften that blow for LeBron James who was coming up later. If people think that Jordan has somehow resented LeBron, they're wrong.
LeBron James: MJ, s---, I was born in '84, the year he came into the league. He won his first championship in 1991, 1992 that's around the time I first started watching basketball and when I first started playing. My first year playing basketball I was 9-years-old, so that was '92. So all those timelines kind of fit perfect to me. And his last championship was '98, that's one year before I go into high school and I'm starting to pick it up. So everything kind of worked that way. And what he was doing inspired me so much.
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Today, what we're going to discuss is the NBA players who have gotten the largest share of first-place MVP votes in their careers. This list is about to be littered with some of the biggest names the sport of basketball has ever seen, so buckle up. 1. Michael Jordan: 35.97 percent Number of MVPs won: Five Seasons getting MVP votes: 13 out of 15 The runaway No. 1 winner of this honor, His Airness, Michael Jordan, owns the top spot here thanks to his otherworldly talent, as well as his relatively shorter career compared to other megastars.
As LeBron James approaches the end of his NBA career, he has limited time to bolster his case as basketball's GOAT above Michael Jordan. While that debate might never be settled, James, in a wide-ranging series of interviews with ESPN conducted during the season, acknowledged the influence Jordan had on him. "I hope I made him proud at least, wearing that No. 23," James told ESPN's Dave McMenamin. The 6-foot-9, 250-pound James pointed out the inherent differences between him and Jordan, who was listed at 6-6 and 200 pounds in his playing days. "I never have compared myself to MJ because our games are totally different," James said. "I have been a point-forward/forward-point my whole life. I have always looked for the pass. MJ kind of looked for the shot. Not kind of, he did. He looked for the shot. "There are a lot of things where I would say my game is a lot different and a little better than his, but s---, he was f---ing great. We're both great. We're both great basketball players."
"There are a lot of things that MJ did better than I do," James said, "and I think there are some things that I do better than him. That's just how the game goes. There's a lot of things that I can say in particular. You already know how this conversation is going to be [misinterpreted] by people, man. "I think I am one of one. I think the way I play the game, I am a one-of-one player. And MJ, as well. A f---ing unbelievable basketball player. I think his midrange jump shot was unbelievable. He did so many things great. I grew up f---ing analyzing everything that he did, how he could get to his spot and rise up above everybody. Obviously, his post game was elite. His will to win. I think that is a trait that we all know and that we all wanted to be like. His determination to win."
NBA Communications: Cooper Flagg joined Michael Jordan as the only rookies to lead their team in total points, rebounds, assists and steals since steals were first recorded in 1973-74. Flagg is the second-youngest Kia NBA Rookie of the Year winner, behind only LeBron James.
Q. When you look at today's game and the way it's played today, what are your feelings on it? Vlade Divac: Well, it's a different game definitely. It starts with the rules. I don't like to compare one era to the other because it's not fair, because it's different rules, different approach to the game. But if you really want me to say one thing like if Magic Johnson played in today's game, he would average 25, 30 assists per game. If Michael Jordan played in today's game, he would probably average 50 points per game.
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Ryan Ward: Per Lakers: With his second field goal tonight at Houston, LeBron James recorded his 3,000th career playoff field goal, becoming the first player in NBA history to reach the mark. 1. LeBron James (3,000) 2. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (2,356) 3. Michael Jordan (2,188)
Joe Mussatto: Only three players in NBA history have gone 15-of-18 in a playoff game. Sam Jones in 1967, Michael Jordan in 1991 and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander today. No player has ever shot a higher percentage (83.3%) in a playoff game than those three (minimum 18 attempts).
NBA Stat: Most 3-game spans averaging 25/8/8 after turning 30: 𝟱𝟮 — 𝗟𝗲𝗕𝗿𝗼𝗻 𝗝𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 4 — Larry Bird, Magic Johnson 2 — Nikola Jokic, Steve Nash 1 — Russell Westbrook, Michael Jordan, John Havlicek, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant, Wilt Chamberlain, Dolph Schayes #NBA
“It’s interesting,” Barkley said. “I was just chillin’ at the house last week, and one of my good friends is Vince Coleman, the great baseball player. When we answer the phone, we (jokingly) say some unkind words to each other … he says, ‘Yo, I’m down here at The Grove. I’m sick of you and MJ’s BS. He’s right here. Y’all need to talk.’ And we had a conversation, but Vince Coleman’s the person who’s responsible. We (Barkley and Jordan) talked for a couple minutes. He said, ‘Man, let’s get together and play golf. And as soon as I get a break, we’re gonna fly down there and spend a couple days playing golf.’” The Grove XXIII is Jordan’s private golf course in Jupiter, Florida.