Michael Jordan vs LeBron James: Awards, Stats, Net Worth, and More

The GOAT debate has been a perennial topic of discussion and debate amongst NBA fans. While Michael Jordan had the best peak amongst all players, LeBron James seems to be having a grudge against time. Currently, in his 22nd season, James' peak seems to be never ending, given most players his age slowly decline in form and shape.

The Netflix documentary ‘The Last Dance’ gave the younger generation a closer glimpse into Michael Jordan's legacy as a player and an entity beyond the sneaker brand. For the ones who witnessed MJ's two three-peats, His Airness remains the undisputed GOAT. However, James' case grew stronger when he became the only player in league history to combine 50,000 career points in regular and post-season. So, where do both these legends of basketball stand on the GOAT debate? Read this article to find a comprehensive breakdown.

LeBron James vs. Michael Jordan Career Stats

One of the best ways to go about when making a case for both LeBron James and Michael Jordan is to do a comparison of their career-stats playing in the league. Michael Jordan played for 15 seasons in the NBA while LeBron James has been playing for 22 seasons and counting. Let's compare the two legends' regular season, post-season, and Finals stats to set precedence of discussion for both their GOAT cases.

Michael Jordan vs. LeBron James Regular Season Stats

If we are comparing MJ and LeBron James' regular season stats, there are some particular departments where both outshine each other. Jordan, on one hand, has an overall better record in scoring, but James has a higher efficiency rate in grabbing rebounds and dishing assists.

Though both Jordan and James are proficient on both ends of the floor, MJ was a defensive powerhouse, known for guarding players on the wing. He finished first in the league in steals thrice in his career. James, however, has never claimed a steals title yet in his career.

In terms of longevity, its an obvious metric where James trumps over Jordan. At the age of 40, LeBron James still continues to run wild on the court, averaging numbers almost equivalent to his MVP season in Miami Heat. There is no slowing down for James as of yet, which puts him at a great advantage in terms of numbers and stats.

Here is a tabular comparison of Jordan and LBJ's averages over time:

Michael Jordan vs. LeBron James Playoff Stats

When it's time for the playoffs, we see the players gearing up to produce impeccable numbers in leading their team to title contentions. The same can be said for Jordan and LeBron as well, given their playoff stats highly supersede most other players in league history.

When we look at the average and advanced playoff stats, we can see how James and Jordan shot the same percentage from the 3-point range, despite James' increased usage and efficiency from beyond the arc throughout his career. Furthermore, James always had better post-season stats than regular season, which diminishes the argument of him not being a clutch player in playoffs. Here is a comparison of MJ's and LeBron James' playoff averages over the course of their careers.

Michael Jordan vs. LeBron James Finals Stats

Michael Jordan has appeared in six NBA Finals in his 15 year long career while LeBron James has appeared in 10 NBA Finals. Jordan has a perfect 6-0 record in the Finals, winning two three-peats with the Chicago Bulls. On the other hand, LeBron James has a 4-6 record in the Finals, winning two championships during his tenure with the Miami Heat and one each while playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Los Angeles Lakers. Here is a breakdown of MJ and LeBron James' Finals Stats in this table below:

Michael Jordan vs. LeBron James Awards

Many Michael Jordan fans argue for MJ's case, given His Airness went undefeated in the NBA Finals. Appearing in six NBA Finals throughout his career, Jordan and the Bulls won all six and never dragged any of those series to a Game 7 for a win.

On the other hand, LeBron James has appeared in 10 NBA Finals, winning four out of them. While LeBron's Finals win efficiency might not be as good as Jordan's, it is worth noting that he had the Eastern Conference on a chokehold during his time playing for the Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers. Here is a tabular comparison of all the awards and achievements MJ and LeBron James have won.

Michael Jordan vs LeBron James Net Worth

Both Michael Jordan and LeBron James are billionaires. Jordan was the first basketball star to become a billionaire, followed by LeBron James and then, Magic Johnson. Both of LBJ and Jordan's business ventures and endorsements brought them to the stage that they are currently in.

Jordan's net worth as of 2025 is $3.5 billion. Though he earned only $90 million from his NBA contracts, Jordan's net worth was built around the $2.4 billion pre-tax income from endorsements such as Nike, Hanes, and Gatorade. Jordan is a NASCAR team co-owner since 2020 and has also sold his majority stake in the Charlotte Hornets, an NBA franchise worth $3 billion.

LeBron James became the first active NBA player to become a millionaire, with his current net worth standing at $1.2 billion as of 2025. James has earned over $500 million in pretax salary from his stints with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and currently, with the Los Angeles Lakers. Besides, he has also raked in upwards of $900 million off the court from his business ventures and endorsement deals with brands such as PepsiCo and Nike.

Michael Jordan on LeBron James

Michael Jordan is known to have publicly acknowledged the longevity and achievements of LeBron James in the NBA. When LeBron James broke the all-time scoring record, Jordan congratulated him and held the milestone as a testament to James' hard work, great skill and longevity. Furthermore, when Jordan was asked about James in a 2020 press conference, Jordan affirmed that he was a fan of watching LeBron James playing in the league.

On the other hand, LeBron James has time and again reiterated his admiration and praise for Michael Jordan. Growing up, James idolized Michael Jordan like every other kid of his generation and even wears the #23 jersey in honor of MJ. LeBron James even forgoes his own GOAT case to affirm Jordan as the greatest of all time.

Has LeBron James faced Michael Jordan in a game before?

Unfortunately, LeBron James and Michael Jordan have never come face to face in an NBA game before. However, in an appearance on the New Heights podcast hosted by the Kelce brothers, James confirmed he had played a pickup game against Jordan when he was 16 years old.

As a sophomore in high school, James was able to go head-to-head against the likes of MJ, Antoine Walker, and Tim Hardaway, among others. “I was unguardable,” said James, describing the experience. This very moment was also confirmed by Metta World Peace (previously Ron Artest) about how James was able to outpace some of the legends of the game, all while being a high-schooler.

Who is the NBA GOAT between LeBron James and Michael Jordan?

Most people would still like to consider Michael Jordan as the GOAT of the NBA. Besides All-Star appearances and All-NBA Team accolades, Jordan is a forerunner in almost every department. He has six championship rings and has a 6-0 record in the Finals, compared to LeBron James' 4-6 record. Furthermore, Jordan also holds a Defensive Player of the Year award to his name, an achievement eluded by James.

However, in terms of comparison as a player, James is regarded as the most complete player ever in the league. Having played 22 seasons and counting, James became the only player in league history with 10K points, rebounds, and assists. Furthermore, he finds his name as a top 10-15 in almost every list in the league and leads the league in almost every playoff statistic.

While Jordan is valued for his scoring prowess, LeBron James is admired for his longevity and endurance through the years. While most people might think Michael Jordan is the GOAT, many new generation players such as the Detroit Pistons' Cade Cunningham regard LeBron James as the GOAT.