Growing up, LeBron James idolized Michael Jordan and hoped he could be someday reach some of the heights that “His Airness” did. “With Michael Jordan being my role model … you have no choice but to fantasize about the future,” James said four years ago, still in high school.
His future is now.
James makes his first NBA Finals appearance Thursday night in San Antonio. Here’s how he stacks up with Jordan when Mike was making his first Finals showing during the 1991 playoffs.
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GAME 1 PERFORMANCE
James: He can dominate as a scorer, but he’s equally adept at controlling a game with his passes.
Jordan: He scored 36 points and added 12 assists and eight rebounds during a 93-91 loss on June 2, 1991.
PEOPLE COMPARE HIM TO …
James: If you compare him to anyone, you compare to MJ.
Jordan: Because of his dunking style and scoring ability, people likened him to Julius Erving, a.k.a. Dr. J.
ENDORSEMENTS
James: You name it, and LeBron is part of it. If the Cavs somehow win the series, expect James to have even more deals. Notable among his endorsements is a $90 million deal he signed with Nike.
Jordan: He opened the door for people like James to have shoe contracts. It’s hard to believe, but Jordan’s first Nike deal was for five years and $2.5 million, according to the Baltimore Sun.
BETTER SEASON
James: He averaged 27.3 points, 6.7 rebounds and 6 assists during the 2006-07 regular season.
Jordan: In 1990-91, MJ was MVP for a second consecutive season after averaging 31.5 points, 6 rebounds and 5.5 assists — very similar to James’ numbers in 2005-06 when he finished second in MVP voting.
BETTER TEAM
James: He gets support from various players on any given night, but it often takes him playing his best for his Cavs to have a shot. His team won 50 games during the regular season.
Jordan: Jordan led the Bulls to a conference-best 61-21 campaign in 1990-91 — five games better than the Celtics, who finished second. Scottie Pippen made his first All-Star team that season, tallying 17 points per game.
EXPECTATIONS
James: Don’t mistake anticipation for expectation. People will watch this series because of the anticipation of seeing James play, not necessarily because the teams match up well against one another.
Jordan: Incredibly high — both for Jordan and his team. Remember, this Bulls team had been denied a shot at the Finals by the Pistons three consecutive times before getting a crack at the title.
QUALITY OF OPPONENT
James: The Spurs seek their fourth title in the last nine years, and are favored to do so. Tim Duncan’s numbers have fallen slightly over the last few years, but Tony Parker and Manu Ginobli help keep the Spurs among the NBA elite.
Jordan: The Lakers were solid, but these weren’t the same glory days. L.A. had already won five titles and was on its way down. There was no more Kareem Abdul Jabbar by this point, either.
WHO’s DEFENDING HIM
James: Bruce Bowen, a perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate, will most likely have this task.
Jordan: Byron Scott … well, at least he tried.
the winner is …
MJ: Aside from having had more playoff experience than James has, Jordan had Pippen and a great cast of role players when he advanced to the Finals for the first time. James doesn’t have a supporting cast anywhere near as strong.
On the other hand, James has reached the championship series in just his fourth season at age 22; Jordan was in his seventh season, at age 28. But the Spurs will be better than the Lakers were back then, so James will need more help than he had during the Conference Finals if he plans to pull off the upset.
