LeBron James believes he and Michael Jordan could have a good relationship once he retires from playing basketball.
While the pair, often pinned against each other in GOAT debates, respect each other, the four-time champion shared his thoughts on why they don’t talk regularly.
Speaking on the Pat McAfee Show, James shared that as long as he is considered a competition, the Chicago Bulls legend will not engage in a proper friendship with him.
‘We don’t talk,’ James said. When asked why, he replied ‘I’m still playing. I’m still focused on my craft right now.’
‘When you’re one, you think you two could have a conversation?’ McAfee asked.
‘I would hope so,’ James responded. ‘We all know MJ. Even if you don’t know him personally, he’s one of the most ruthless competitors.
LeBron James revealed that he and Michael Jordan will not talk until he retires from the NBA
‘And till I’m done, and he doesn’t have to see me running up and down, wearing the number 23, and every time my name is mentioned, it’s mentioned with his, he’s like, ‘I don’t wanna f****** talk to you.”
James also noted how he and the late Kobe Bryant got closer after the Lakers legend retired. The bond grew stronger once James made the move from the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018.
‘Me and Kobe [Bryant] never had a real relationship either… We was on the Olympic team, we had a great relationship there. Olympic team ’08, Olympic team 12 but it was always competitive between us.
‘I was on the East Coast and he was on the West Coast. I f***ed up one time in ’09 and didn’t beat Orlando and didn’t give me the opportunity to play him in the Finals.
‘But until I became a Laker and he retired, that’s when our relationship became really really good,’ James added. ‘He welcomed me, called me, like, ‘Bro, anything you need in LA, I got you. You’re a Laker now, you’re family.”
James then raved about seeing Jordan at the NBA 75th Anniversary Team ceremony and emphasized how he idolized the six-time champion growing up.
‘That was dope,’ he said. ‘That was straight respect, admiration. I wore 23 because of MJ and the inspiration that he gave me as a kid in Akron, Ohio that don’t have much inspiration in your hometown.’
‘You look at something,’ James continued. ‘Somebody in sports, somebody in music, somebody on a TV screen. So Will Smith in Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Micael Jordan playing for the Bulls, Jay Z, Biggie, and Tupac, that was my inspiration.’
