“MJ is still in his head” – NBA analyst claims LeBron James is endlessly ‘chasing’ Michael Jordan’s legacy but lacks Bulls icon’s timeless dominance

July 22, 2025

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The argument about Michael Jordan and LeBron James is never-ending. On Tuesday’s episode of “Herd with Colin Cowherd,” Cowherd brought up the debate about the two basketball icons. He went as far as to criticize the LA Lakers star and say that he’s “chasing” the former Chicago Bulls superstar.

There’s been a debate on which player is better, Jordan or James. Fans have chosen their side for a long time and have not stopped with the narrative. Experts and critics have offered fresh perspectives to continue the conversation concerning the two legends.

Cowherd revisited the case between MJ and LBJ. This time, he talked about how the four-time champion is trying to catch up to the six-time champion.

"Rich Paul told us that it was all about winning, it's not anymore. I think Michael Jordan is still in his head," Cowherd said. "He knows, in the basketball community with basketball fans, he's never gonna catch MJ.

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"Michael Jordan makes you feel something and LeBron doesn't... Michael has that. Wear his shoes, you feel cool.... Michael's richer, more memorable, bigger brand and he makes you feel something, and LeBron doesn't. LeBron has kinda bounced around to the best basketball opportunity every chance he gets."

Cowherd said that there are countless NBA plays that fans can remember Jordan with. James, on the other hand, only has the block on Andre Iguodala at the 2016 NBA Finals that fans can consistently look back to.

He also said that the only time LeBron James made fans feel something was when he returned to Cleveland in 2014. Other than that, though, Cowherd said that the four-time MVP has been the "Great Basketball Opportunist."

Fans defended LeBron James after Cowherd's take

Many NBA fans view LeBron James as greater than Michael Jordan due to his influence. After Cowherd's comments, fans stood their ground and defended the Lakers star.

"MJ sold shoes. LeBron built schools, broke records and became a billionaire while still playing Y’all still stuck in the 90s 😂" a fan said.

"Well you can’t catch someone you passed 9 years ago so yeah," another fan commented, referring to James' scoring record.

"Wow you mean the guy who’s been alive 20 years longer as a bigger brand and more money? Wild," one fan sarcastically said.

Some fans claimed to have stopped listening to Cowherd.

"Stopped listening to Cowherd when he said the Lakers should trade Anthony Davis for Jordan Poole," a comment read.

"Even so why do we care about 'Colin Cowherd' at all 💀" another comment read.

"Obviously he’s making Colin feel something 😆 " a fan said.

LeBron James' fans didn't let Cowherd's take slide and expressed their thoughts on the matter.

About the author

Reign Amurao specializes in basketball at Sportskeeda, bringing 3 years of experience to his role and a Bachelor's Degree in Communication.

A fervent supporter of the Phoenix Suns, Reign was hooked to their electrifying "Seven-Seconds-Or-Less" offense, which epitomizes high-paced and high-intensity basketball. For Reign, Steve Nash is the ultimate floor general, and he believes Boris Diaw could've been the next Magic Johnson if he had a bit more discipline.

From Reign's perspective, Anthony Edwards is a 90s player stuck in modern times, and Gregg Popovich is an ultimate winner with unparalleled success and leadership in the sport.

Reign's expertise lies in NBA history, particularly the significant moments and trends of the 2000s and 2010s. He prioritizes in-depth research using only credible sources to maintain accuracy in his articles, and avoids misleading topics.

Beyond basketball, Reign enjoys gaming with friends and watches comedy shows and films.

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