The Michael Jordan versus LeBron James for the greatest of all time debate will likely become the longest, everlasting sports debate in history, even when James retires from the game. (If that ever happens.)
But one of the largest obstacles in the ability to compare and contrast both greats is the difference between both eras.
Jordan played during one of the most physical, team-centric basketball eras in existence. James played, and is playing, in an era of ball charged with 3-point shooting, individual shot-creating and foul-drawing capabilities.
But ESPN's Mike Greenberg, who mentioned his coverage of Jordan for four straight years in Chicago, says Jordan would have dominated today's NBA.
"I will say this definitively" Greenberg, who attended Northwestern University in Chicago and worked in the Chicago sports media scene, said on The Pat McAfee Show. "I will say this and I will challenge anyone who debates this with me any time they want. If Michael Jordan played in today's NBA, he would average 40 points a game."
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Greenberg went on an analytical-driven spiel about how today's game sees scores in the 120s versus in the 1990s when teams scoring over 100 points was uncommon.
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Taking the average scores of players today and marking it up against box scores in the 1990s, Greenberg found a ~20 percent increase in scoring, giving him the number 40 as his estimate of how many points Jordan would average today.
Given the game's decrease in physicality, increase in shot-taking – especially behind the 3-point arc – and the players' tendency to load-manage games, he believes Jordan would dominate in today's era.
Greenberg cites Jordan's final three seasons with the Chicago Bulls, when he played in all 82 regular season games in each season as a testament to his toughness and durability. He also references the 1998 Finals and Jordan's 33-point average as evidence of his usage and scoring ability during an era where scoring wasn't the crux of the game.
"We got guys averaging 33 now," Greenberg said. "Michael Jordan never shot 3's because no one shot 3's back then. Michael Jordan's numbers should be viewed almost in the same context as Jerry West's."
The ESPN analyst made as fantastic of an argument as there is in existence to argue Jordan's perceived dominance in the modern NBA and his advantage over LeBron James as the greatest of all time.
James has plenty of talking points on his résumé that could combat Jordan's argument as well. The facilitating ability, the longevity, the consistent playoff berths, etc. all matchup enticingly against Jordan's argument, too.
James is an all-time great, just like Jordan. And no one will ever replicate the careers of Jordan or James.
"All these guys are great," Greenberg said. "LeBron is an all-time great. He deserves all the accolades in the world. No one is Michael Jordan and no one is ever gonna be again."