'He’s a Better All-Around Player': When Skip Bayless Declared LeBron James Is Superior to Michael Jordan in Skill and Versatility

Skip Bayless once declared LeBron James superior to Michael Jordan in skill and versatility. Discover the story behind this bold statement. Read more!

Updated on Mar 11, 2024  |  07:38 PM IST |  90.4K
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Skip Bayless, a major detractor of LeBron James, regularly contrasts him with Michael Jordan, accentuating Jordan's supremacy. "LeBron James is no Michael Jordan" is Bayless' most forthright observation.

Skip continues his criticism of LeBron even at the peak of LeBron's success, whether it's surpassing Kareem Abdul Jabbar as the NBA's top scorer or being the first player to achieve 39,000 and 40,000 career points.

The inconsistency of LeBron's performances, compared to Jordan's standout record of complete season play, is one of the areas Bayless often criticizes. Despite periodic commendations for LeBron, Bayless insists on his belief that Jordan stands unrivaled as basketball's all-time greatest.


In this ongoing debate, Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith have been prominent voices, and both have consistently defended Team Jordan. Uncannily, Skip shows particular vigor in his anti-LeBron stance during these discussions.

Interestingly, an archival video from their ESPN days unveiled a confession that LeBron is more versatile and skilled than MJ.

Bayless stated, "LeBron James does have this going for him. He's a better all-around player than Michael and them. He has more skills than Michael. He's a point guard, he's a better passer, he's a little better rebounder, and he can play defense".

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Smith agreed vocally, "We are aware of that. We are."

These two critics, who usually criticize LeBron James, surprised fans with their unexpected behavior. This resulted in a variety of fan reactions.





This revealing snippet surprised fans, as both analysts have typically preferred MJ over LeBron over the years. They usually find fault with LeBron James, so this slightly praiseworthy attitude is unexpected.

Regardless, this snippet could simply mirror the inherent talents of both players, with no contention that LeBron's size and dynamic power are natural blessings.

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Skip Bayless' Unconventional Top 10 NBA Players of All Time

Skip Bayless, known for his strong criticisms of LeBron James in sports media, ranks James at the ninth position on his all-time list.

Here's the complete top-10 list assembled by Bayless:

1. Michael Jordan

2. Magic Johnson

3. Shaquille O'Neal

4. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

5. Tim Duncan

6. Bill Russell

7. Kobe Bryant

8. Larry Bird

9. LeBron James

10. Wilt Chamberlain


"Even with LeBron exceeding 40,000 points, he remains ninth on my list. Longevity doesn't equate to superior skill or worth," said Bayless.

He went on to declare that James never matched up to the leadership abilities of Magic Johnson, especially during Johnson's NCAA stint. 

Furthermore, the vociferous TV figure emphasized that James was no match for Jordan, whom he showcased as the indisputable greatest player of all time.

Jordan's ten scoring titles and his defensive prowess secured his prime spot on Bayless' list. This contentious list will likely incite ongoing heated discussions.

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About The Author

Rakesh Mehra is a passionate sports content writer at Pinkvilla, dedicated to bringing the thrill of the game to

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Credits: Twitter ( now X)
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