"Jordan? I knew exactly what he was gonna do" - Metta Standiford-Artest said LeBron James was harder to guard than Michael Jordan
Player comparisons aren't new to sports. Naturally, NBA players are often pitted against each other; it's become the most popular pastime, especially for basketball fans.
While often intense, such comparisons haven't stopped, with one of the most popular topics being the toughest player to guard. Who better to ask about it than Metta Sandiford-Artest, one of the best perimeter defensive players ever?
Toughest player to guard
When the idea of the toughest cover comes up, guys who could score and create scoring opportunities in the most pressing situations are the usual picks.
LeBron James and Michael Jordan are frequently debated as the best offensive players ever. With nine MVPs and 11 scoring titles combined, the NBA icons represent two of the most decorated figures in league history. However, it takes someone who has played and defended against both to distinguish who was the hardest to guard.
"I think LeBron," said Artest of the more difficult player he guarded. "Even then, Jordan was tough to defend. I mean, the thing about Jordan was, you know what he was gonna do, and he gonna get you gonna pull up. He gonna go left, pull up, go fade right, and you knew it was coming."
Artest joined the Chicago Bulls in 1999 after Jordan's retirement. When MJ returned to the league with the Washington Wizards, he stood across Metta several times.
Why Metta picked LeBron over MJ
Artest established himself as one of the league's lockdown defenders during his 17-year career. The 2004 Defensive Player of The Year, known for holding his own against the league's toughest players, singled out James for his offensive prowess.
"When I first started to guard LeBron, I didn't really know what he was gonna do, and he was quite successful. It wasn't as predictable, which made it a little harder. But Jordan, I knew exactly what he gonna do," Artest added.
LBJ's offensive brilliance can be summed up in many ways. Although he has never been viewed as the ruthless takeover scorer like MJ or even Kobe Bryant, the 6'9" forward has strung together some of the most breathtaking streaks in league history.
In the 2012-13 campaign, he became the first player to record at least 30 points and shoot 60 percent from the floor in six consecutive games. When the streak ended in February of that season, James logged 39 points on 59 percent from the floor.
LBJ's size, technique, and ability to play any position often overwhelm even the burliest defenders. For all his greatness on the other side of the floor—he made the NBA All-Defensive First Team five times and had arguably one of the best defensive plays ever when he chased down Andre Iguodala to block a crucial layup in Game 7 of the 2016 Finals—the Akron native is still one of the most lethal offensive players in NBA history.
James outmatched a dominant Golden State Warriors in the 2016 championship series. He recorded 41 points in Games 5 and 6 and a historic triple-double in Game 7 as his team mounted an unprecedented comeback against the 73-win squad to win the Cleveland Cavaliers' first-ever NBA title.
Such performances solidified James as an offensive force, so it's no surprise Artest rated him as the toughest he has ever faced, even at the expense of "His Airness."
