LeBron James celebrated his 40th birthday this past December, while six-time NBA champion Michael Jordan turns 62 next month.
Jordan appeared in 82 games with the Washington Wizards during the 2002-03 season, which turned out to be his final year in the NBA. Meanwhile, James was the top overall selection in the 2003 NBA Draft.
Although the basketball icons did not have the opportunity to go head-to-head during an NBA game, James recently reflected on a time he played a pick-up game with Jordan.
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(L-R) LeBron James and Michael Jordan attend the 2022 NBA All-Star Game at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on February 20, 2022 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Kevin Mazur/Getty Images)
James told brothers Travis Kelce and Jason Kelce that he was a 16-year-old high school basketball star when he met Jordan in Chicago for the pick-up game.
“I was on the court with Michael Jordan, Antoine Walker, Penny Hardaway, Ron Artest, Michael Finley, all these guys,” James said during a recent appearance on the Kelce brothers; “New Heights” podcast.
LEBRON JAMES BREAKS MICHAEL JORDAN’S RECORD FOR 30-POINT GAMES WITH HIS 563RD
Travis, who is preparing to compete against the Houston Texans in the divisional round this weekend, eventually asked James who was responsible for guarding him during the game.
“Nobody. I was unguardable,” James confidently responded.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James dunks during the second half in Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Denver Nuggets Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
James admitted that he initially experienced some nerves when he realized he had the opportunity to go up against an NBA great.
“When I finally got out there, I was like, ‘I’m busting a–.’ I was nervous. I was nervous as hell, being out there with MJ and the rest of those guys. But I was like, ‘Oh, I’m about to go crazy.’ And I did. I did,” James added.
Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James celebrates a three-pointer against the Toronto Raptors during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Toronto on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
Metta Sandiford-Artest, also known at Ron Artest and Metta World Peace, last appeared in an NBA game in 2017, but he was 20 during the time the aforementioned pick-game took place. He recalled the moment during a May 2024 appearance on Philadelphia 76ers star Paul George’s “Podcast P with Paul George.”
“Everybody knew who he was. He was already famous. He was bigger than all of us in the gym,” Artest said. “So he’s coming into the gym, and I’m like, ‘All right, cool, I wanna see what he’s got.
“And he’s cooking. He is 15, or 16. Posting, getting to the basket. And I’m like, ‘This is going to be a huge issue.’”
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Artest added that the situation left him motivated.
“He actually motivated me. When I saw that, it motivated me. I’m like, ‘I gotta go to work.’ He’s coming in the league cooking. I was not like that at 15.”
James is a four-time NBA champion, a four-time league MVP, and a 20-time NBA All-Star. In his 22nd season in the league, he remains one of the best players in the NBA and is averaging 23.7 points per game this season.
The Lakers were idle on Wednesday night and return to action on Thursday night when they host the Miami Heat.
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