LeBron James Uses Michael Jordan Example to Argue NBA Is ‘Best It’s Ever Been’ originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Over the past two decades, the NBA has seen a change in how superstar-level players contribute to their teams, and no one knows that better than Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James.

When you talk about inspiration, there was nobody more inspiring to me than Michael Jordan. For me, I think our games would have complemented each other well. MJ was a flat-out

LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers are in a bit of a staring contest at the moment. James has opted in for the 2025-26 season, but the Lakers did not offer him an extension, which opens the door for him to enter free agency for the first time since 2018.