Michael Jordan got proctected more than LeBron from NBA

[The Rebel]

Yup, on the court MJ got slightly more protection and it was for the reason you outlined: Referees will allow defenders to foul more to neutralize size but not speed. MJ's game was more reliant on speed so he got more of the benefit of the doubt.

Off the court, MJ was comically protected by the NBA. They first tried to cover up his foibles, which are enormous, and when they leaked created a BS narrative that him being a bullying degenerate gambler is due to him being the ultimate competitor. In reality lots of players are just as competitive as he was and don't have his characters flaws.

He's just an a*&hole

The numbers clearly show that Lebron has a higher free throw rate, had less foul calls against him despite 280 more games, and has been kicked out of less games than Jordan so please make a coherent argument that anybody has been more protected than Lebron.

On the offensive end Lebron is similar to Shaq. The refs allowed him to get fouled chronically to make up for a size advantage.

Lmao, yet he takes more free throws than Jordan ever did, and he commits less fouls than Jordan ever did. There is literally no argument that Jordan was more protected by refs than Lebron. Anybody who actually watched both play knows it.

[VanWest82]

Lol @ the idea of MJ being more "protected" because NBA had to introduce flagrant fouls to stop the rampant use of non-basketball plays as the last and only method to slow him down. What a joke.

[OriginalRed]

Well it's only natural the NBA would want to protect its biggest money maker, the same way they protect Lebron. That doesn't subtract from MJ's greatness in the slightest or Lebron's.

[sp6r=underrated]

The numbers clearly show that Lebron has a higher free throw rate, had less foul calls against him despite 280 more games, and has been kicked out of less games than Jordan so please make a coherent argument that anybody has been more protected than Lebron.

On the offensive end Lebron is similar to Shaq. The refs allowed him to get fouled chronically to make up for a size advantage.

Lmao, yet he takes more free throws than Jordan ever did, and he commits less fouls than Jordan ever did. There is literally no argument that Jordan was more protected by refs than Lebron. Anybody who actually watched both play knows it.

I watched all Jordan's 90s play. He was protected regularly. Your mistake is assuming players deserve the same number of free throws.

[Nate the Great]

Lebron once went nearly 3 weeks without a single foul called against him. Not a single push, bump, charge, block, nothing. I have never seen that with any other player and have been coherently watching the NBA since the early 80s.

Lebron has fouled out of less games and has committed less fouls than Jordan did in their careers, despite the fact that Jordan played in 280 less games than Lebron. Lebron has also attempted 1800 more free throws than Jordan did in his career. So tell me again how the refs favored Jordan and not Lebron.

This is kinda wild. Jesus christ.

3 weeks????

Check his game log in December of 2012, I was wrong it was 6 straight games without a foul called against but a total of 2 foul called against in 8 games.

And Wilt never fouled out once in his entire career. Was that discipline, or did the refs treat him differently?

Star players have always received preferential treatment from the refs. Fans are more likely to notice if the star player is on the other team.

[NZB2323]

If Jordan was merely a very rich doctor he'd be bankrupt from his gambling long ago. Arguing he's not a degenerate is like saying an alcoholic billionaire isn't a degenerate drinker because he can afford doctors to keep his liver entact.

And if Americans lived in 3rd world countries we’d be bankrupt by the amount of money we spend on tv/steaming services. Jordan is fine with his money. Us criticizing Jordan for not being good with his money is like an obese person criticizing Michael Phelps for eating too much food.

And Charlie Sheen is a model of clean living since he can afford top drugs.

Sorry, I don't think just because you're rich you get to live the live Caligulia without at least getting the label of degenerate.

He's a degenerate

Wealthy people can spend more money on things than normal people. Justin Bieber spends $750 per haircut. Jordan has done a better job of providing for his family and creating wealth than any other NBA player.

If you want to criticize him for cheating on his wife, that’s fine, but gorgeous women were throwing themselves at him every day. And the media did criticize Jordan for gambling. They criticized him for gambling after being up down 0-2 against the Knicks in 93, and then reporters made up stories stating that Jordan’s father was killed because of Jordan’s gambling when there was no connection.

NBA players stay up later than normal people because they don’t work from 9-5. Their games start when everyone else is off of work, and I don’t think anyone here understands what it would be like for the media to be making up stories blaming us for one of our parents being murdered.

And Jordan didn’t live like Charlie Sheen. Most of his teammates were doing coke when he joined the Bulls but he stayed away from that stuff. Sure, he drinks and smokes cigars, but he’s in great shape for a 59 year old man.

[sp6r=underrated]

And if Americans lived in 3rd world countries we’d be bankrupt by the amount of money we spend on tv/steaming services. Jordan is fine with his money. Us criticizing Jordan for not being good with his money is like an obese person criticizing Michael Phelps for eating too much food.

And Charlie Sheen is a model of clean living since he can afford top drugs.

Sorry, I don't think just because you're rich you get to live the live Caligulia without at least getting the label of degenerate.

He's a degenerate

Wealthy people can spend more money on things than normal people. Justin Bieber spends $750 per haircut. Jordan has done a better job of providing for his family and creating wealth than any other NBA player.

If you want to criticize him for cheating on his wife, that’s fine, but gorgeous women were throwing themselves at him every day. And the media did criticize Jordan for gambling. They criticized him for gambling after being up down 0-2 against the Knicks in 93, and then reporters made up stories stating that Jordan’s father was killed because of Jordan’s gambling when there was no connection.

NBA players stay up later than normal people because they don’t work from 9-5. Their games start when everyone else is off of work, and I don’t think anyone here understands what it would be like for the media to be making up stories blaming us for one of our parents being murdered.

Problem Gambling isn't the same as buying a car.

Gambling is similar to consuming alcohol. The APA has found problem gambling is much closer to other substance use disorders like alcoholism.

Jordan is just rich enough to afford being a degenerate gambler the same way Charlie Sheen is rich enough to afford being a coke head.

Both are addicts.

[Jasen777]

The constant threads to discredit Jordan and/or elevate LeBron etc above him need to stop.

Jordan is the greatest player ever and it's seriously not up for debate. Ever. The numbers alone cement it.

The recency bias is out of control.

Lebron had a similar if not better peak and his career has lasted 25% longer.

The numbers say otherwise.

And Vince Carter played 22 seasons. Career length is irrelevant.

What numbers? The one that makes Russell the GOAT?

[macNcheese3]

Jordan also wasn't as big of a loud mouth as LeBron. He let most of his game do the talking. LeBron is always hungry for the spotlight. It could be the era, and social media, but Jordan was a completely different personality. The spotlight came to Jordan, not the way LeBron looks for it.

[NZB2323]

And Charlie Sheen is a model of clean living since he can afford top drugs.

Sorry, I don't think just because you're rich you get to live the live Caligulia without at least getting the label of degenerate.

He's a degenerate

Wealthy people can spend more money on things than normal people. Justin Bieber spends $750 per haircut. Jordan has done a better job of providing for his family and creating wealth than any other NBA player.

If you want to criticize him for cheating on his wife, that’s fine, but gorgeous women were throwing themselves at him every day. And the media did criticize Jordan for gambling. They criticized him for gambling after being up down 0-2 against the Knicks in 93, and then reporters made up stories stating that Jordan’s father was killed because of Jordan’s gambling when there was no connection.

NBA players stay up later than normal people because they don’t work from 9-5. Their games start when everyone else is off of work, and I don’t think anyone here understands what it would be like for the media to be making up stories blaming us for one of our parents being murdered.

Problem Gambling isn't the same as buying a car.

Gambling is similar to consuming alcohol. The APA has found problem gambling is much closer to other substance use disorders like alcoholism.

Jordan is just rich enough to afford being a degenerate gambler the same way Charlie Sheen is rich enough to afford being a coke head.

Both are addicts.

Caffeine is addicting also, yet most Americans consume it.

Coke hurts Charlie Sheen. Gambling doesn’t hurt Jordan. Jordan gambling is more like an American drinking a coffee than it is like someone doing coke.

[000078ude54]

Lebron had a similar if not better peak and his career has lasted 25% longer.

The numbers say otherwise.

And Vince Carter played 22 seasons. Career length is irrelevant.

What numbers? The one that makes Russell the GOAT?

There are numbers, then there are numbers.

Putting up stats against YMCA talent is different than stats against the stars/teams of the '80s and '90s.

[Goomba3666]

This is kinda wild. Jesus christ.

3 weeks????

Check his game log in December of 2012, I was wrong it was 6 straight games without a foul called against but a total of 2 foul called against in 8 games.

And Wilt never fouled out once in his entire career. Was that discipline, or did the refs treat him differently?

Star players have always received preferential treatment from the refs. Fans are more likely to notice if the star player is on the other team.

Didn't see Wilt play, but have seen Lebron's entire career. He commits fouls pretty much on every defensive possession. He truly commits like 20 blatant defensive fouls per game and like 5 offensive charges per game.

I STILL didn't think it was that bad. Lol.

[The Rebel]

On the offensive end Lebron is similar to Shaq. The refs allowed him to get fouled chronically to make up for a size advantage.

Lmao, yet he takes more free throws than Jordan ever did, and he commits less fouls than Jordan ever did. There is literally no argument that Jordan was more protected by refs than Lebron. Anybody who actually watched both play knows it.

I watched all Jordan's 90s play. He was protected regularly. Your mistake is assuming players deserve the same number of free throws.

No my mistake is that I watched and do not try to argue stupid **** like evolution taking 20 years. Lebron fouls on defense constantly, his drives into the lane are offensive fouls, hell the league had to change carrying and traveling rules so that everyone of his drives wasn't both a carry and a double dribble, yet teams bragged about beating Jordan and somehow Lebron committed less fouls and was fouled less. Maybe you should go watch Jordan games, I mean actually watch them instead of pretending you did.

[sp6r=underrated]

I mean actually watch them instead of pretending you did.

1. I joined the forum in 1/20/2007.
2. My least favorite moment as a sport fan was the Charles Smith game.
3. And for a mod you're an abrasive ****

[Jasen777]

The numbers say otherwise.

And Vince Carter played 22 seasons. Career length is irrelevant.

What numbers? The one that makes Russell the GOAT?

There are numbers, then there are numbers.

Putting up stats against YMCA talent is different than stats against the stars/teams of the '80s and '90s.

Which numbers? Bonus question: When did the league change from YMCA talent to star talent? Surely not when expansion diluted the talent for MJ's prime?

[000078ude54]

Google Jordan's stats, championships, and awards with the Chicago Bulls, 1984-1993, 1995-1998.

It began in the late '70s.

The '90s expansion/dilution thing is a canard. The Raptors and Grizzlies were given mediocre players the rest of the league surrendered (read: didn't care about) during the expansion draft.

Any more questions? Just shout. Happy to continue the history lesson.

[Cavsfansince84]

Jordan also wasn't as big of a loud mouth as LeBron. He let most of his game do the talking. LeBron is always hungry for the spotlight. It could be the era, and social media, but Jordan was a completely different personality. The spotlight came to Jordan, not the way LeBron looks for it.

On the court he most definitely was though. Almost any time anyone was shooting ft's you'd see MJ over by the refs trying to plead with them about something. MJ was most definitely looking for the spotlight as well. You're just sort of making stuff up here tbh. Obviously differences in era have to be taken into account but MJ was doing **** tons of commercials plus things like Space Jam and interviews to promote videos of him. Plus going on Oprah.

[JulesWinnfield]

[tweet][/tweet]

Lol @ the idea of MJ being more "protected" because NBA had to introduce flagrant fouls to stop the rampant use of non-basketball plays as the last and only method to slow him down. What a joke.

Yea because MJ was the first player to ever receive hard fouls. No one ever gave hard fouls on anybody in the history of basketball before Jordan, it only occurred to people as an idea to contain him and him only… by a bunch of guys who didn’t even lift weights (or barely did) and played the game in bikini shorts

First 42 years of the NBA was super clean and then everyone just decided let’s invent the entire idea of a hard foul just so we can stop him. That’s basically your take lol

Nike and Gatorade indoctrinated so many of you. As wilt said about MJ and him… some guys get the game changed so they can’t dominate, other guys get the game changed to make it easier to do so

Not to mention how super whiny MJ was about it…openly campaigning to get the nba to do something about the pistons physicality; and then later doing the same thing with the Knicks….some of you are too young to remember how many older players viewed him as the same type of pampered and entitled baby that many from mjs generetion view Lebron as being.

[sp6r=underrated]

Jordan also wasn't as big of a loud mouth as LeBron. He let most of his game do the talking. LeBron is always hungry for the spotlight. It could be the era, and social media, but Jordan was a completely different personality. The spotlight came to Jordan, not the way LeBron looks for it.

On the court he most definitely was though. Almost any time anyone was shooting ft's you'd see MJ over by the refs trying to plead with them about something. MJ was most definitely looking for the spotlight as well. You're just sort of making stuff up here tbh. Obviously differences in era have to be taken into account but MJ was doing **** tons of commercials plus things like Space Jam and interviews to promote videos of him. Plus going on Oprah.

I can't conceive of anyone arguing MJ didn't love the spotlight.

The man is a marketing genius and aggressively placed himself in spots to get attention

[FreeThrowLine]

please make a coherent argument that anybody has been more protected than Lebron.

To be fair, the OP wrote proctected, so maybe we just don't know what it means to proctect someone?