Gilbert Arenas calls out NBA fans for being anti-LeBron rather than genuine Jordan admirers.
Gilbert Arenas, the former NBA All-Star, recently shared his candid thoughts on the dynamics of NBA fandom, particularly concerning Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Kobe Bryant. Speaking on ‘Vlad TV,’ Arenas highlighted a shift in how fans engage with the sport today compared to previous eras.
(Discussion clarified for better understanding)
“Most people today are not basketball fans—they’re player fans. They just follow a player. For example, someone might say, ‘I like Michael Jordan.’ Okay, cool, but what team do you like? ‘I don’t have a team. The Bulls.’ So, you don’t have a team? ‘No, I just like Michael Jordan’, and he doesn’t even play anymore.”
“So, who do you like now? ‘Oh, this era is soft.’ So, you don’t even watch basketball anymore because today’s era is soft. You’re just anti-LeBron because he’s being compared to Michael Jordan.”
“I had a group of Jordan fans ask me, ‘Who’s your number one, two, and three?’ I said, ‘Jordan’s number one, LeBron is number two, and Kobe is number three.’ Instead of agreeing with Michael Jordan at number one, they asked, ‘Why do you have LeBron at number two? Why is he so close to Jordan?'”
“I said, ‘Because he’s number two. It goes one, then it goes two, and then it goes three.’ Then I asked, ‘Who’s your number two?’ I replied, ‘Now I want to know who your number two is, because if LeBron isn’t your number two, I need to see who’s number two so I can understand why he’s close to Jordan.”
“If LeBron’s not, then who else? Kobe?’ If number two is number two, but Jordan can be 100, and number two can be 90, he’s still number two, but it’s not close. You can say he’s 200 and the other is 90, but if two starts at 90, it’s still two.”
“I just realized there’s more LeBron hating than anything else. You guys are not Jordan fans; you’re just anti-LeBron fans.”
“That’s what this is. because a real Jordan fan, if you really believe Jordan is the best player to ever touch this earth, then you wouldn’t give two s***s who’s number two. Because they’re irrelevant to Michael Jordan, right? Usain Bolt is number one, right? That’s, he’s the number, he’s the fastest man in the world, right? Who’s the second fastest? No one gives a s**t.”
Arenas illustrated this point by recounting a conversation he had with a group of Jordan fans. When asked to rank his top three players, Arenas listed Michael Jordan as number one, LeBron James as number two, and Kobe Bryant as number three.
Instead of acknowledging Jordan’s top spot, the fans immediately questioned why Arenas placed LeBron at number two, showing their disdain for LeBron’s proximity to Jordan in the rankings. Arenas emphasized that a true Jordan fan wouldn’t be concerned with the rankings of other players. Arenas drew a parallel with Usain Bolt, the fastest man in the world.
Arenas’ point underscores the idea that true admiration for a player’s greatness transcends the need to undermine other athletes. Real fans of Michael Jordan, he argues, should appreciate his legacy without feeling threatened by the achievements of LeBron James or Kobe Bryant. This perspective challenges the often divisive nature of sports debates and calls for a more genuine appreciation of basketball legends.