Paul argues that differences in upbringing shaped how Jordan and James approach the game.
LeBron James and Michael Jordan have reached a level of basketball greatness that many consider untouchable — and they did so in starkly different ways.
Jordan built a legacy as a ruthless scorer with a killer instinct that set him apart. Meanwhile, James is an all-around player who combines scoring and playmaking to dominate the game. It’s a difference that the four-time champion recently discussed.
Fans and pundits have spent years comparing the legendary careers they have built with their playing styles. However, one aspect they have often overlooked is how they developed those styles in the first place.
Rich Paul, Klutch Sports founder and James’ agent, has offered a fresh perspective on that matter. He believes the reason goes beyond the basketball court and traces back to their upbringing.
“Michael grew up with a mom and a dad in his household. When you look at Kobe, Kobe grew up with a mom and dad in his household. When you look at LeBron, LeBron’s mom was 16 when she had him as a child. Now, he spent a lot of time by himself, right? He did not develop…taking the last shot over three people is a selfish gene. That don’t make you having killer instinct. That’s a selfish behavior. That’s a gene,” he said.
“It ain’t got nothing to do with killer. Because the killer is in the joint. And some of them are walking out here. This ain’t no killer s—t on a basketball court. I’ve been around them all,” he added.
“Michael Jordan is my man through and through, so I’m not knocking Michael Jordan,” Paul said. “But what I’m saying is LeBron grew up making guys better, so quite naturally, he’s going to always make the proper basketball play.”
LeBron was wired to share the ball
Gloria James had LeBron at the age of 16 and was forced to raise him all on her own, with his biological father staying out of the picture. She did what she could to help her son realize his basketball dreams.
Meanwhile, Michael grew up in a middle-class household with his parents, Deloris and James. While they had their fair share of disagreements, they remained together and provided him a stable foundation and a strong support system.
According to Paul, James’ and Jordan’s approaches to basketball began to take shape in their respective childhoods.
“Psychologically, when you spend the time that you spent by yourself, quite naturally, you want to do what? You want to befriend people, and you built a game off of making other guys look good,” he explained.
Jordan has long been praised for showing no mercy to his rivals. In his pursuit of basketball immortality, Jordan’s legendary competitiveness always shone through — even at the expense of relationships.
James, on the other hand, had no problem balancing friendship and rivalry. And for Paul, it is evident in his basketball play.
“LeBron seeks to pass and you score just as much as he sees himself scoring, which is why he’s the only athlete to have other self-made millionaires in his circle and not look down upon it because he don’t have that selfish gene,” he said.
Killer instinct is rooted in a ‘selfish gene’
Jordan looked to take over games every chance he could, while James prioritized making the right and best possible play.
Because of this, the four-time MVP has been criticized for a lack of a “killer instinct.” Jordan and the late Kobe Bryant became known for embodying that mentality through their love for the clutch. For Paul, this is simply their “selfish genes” at work.
Once again, Paul believes this gene is a product of their upbringing. Unlike LeBron, Michael had Larry, his older brother, to play against when he was growing up, which unlocked his competitive side.
“I couldn’t beat my brother, my older brother, Larry,” Paul said, speaking from Jordan’s point of view. “And so when I finally beat him, that created no matter what, I’m taking this shot, right? So it’s not a knock to none of them.”
If basketball is all about scoring, Paul said he has no problem giving the GOAT title to Jordan. But as it stands, the sport is multifaceted. In his book, elevating one’s teammates is what true greatness is all about, which he believes James has perfected.
