LeBron James acknowledges influence Michael Jordan had on his career: 'Hope I made him proud wearing No. 23'

LeBron James has largely left the "greatest of all time" debate between himself and Michael Jordan up to the fans over the years, he recently got candid about the conversation.

In a series of interviews with ESPN, James discussed the dynamic between himself and Jordan, including how their games compare to one another and his take on the "GOAT' debate that rages on.

James is in the final stage of his career at age 41, but whether it's his final season is a mystery. The Lakers star has not said whether he will play next year, but he's still playing well enough to keep going and stating his GOAT case even after setting an NBA record with his 23rd season.

Here's what James had to say about Jordan and how the two compare.

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LeBron James gives his take on Michael Jordan GOAT debate

In what ESPN called a series of interviews, James explained why he doesn't believe the debate between himself and Jordan is necessarily fair.

"I never have compared myself to MJ because our games are totally different," James said. "I have been a point-forward/forward-point my whole life. I have always looked for the pass. MJ kind of looked for the shot. Not kind of, he did. He looked for the shot."

James called himself "one-of-one" but admitted Jordan is one-of-one as well.

"There are a lot of things that MJ did better than I do," James said. "And I think there are some things that I do better than him. That's just how the game goes."

While James said he avoids the GOAT debate because it's a "very tiring conversation," he described how Jordan influenced his career long before he reached the NBA.

"I dreamed of being able to be in a big game and hit a game-winner as the clock went down. I dreamed of having my own sneaker. I dreamed of flying through the air like him. I dreamed of people screaming my name. Everything that he did," James said. "I needed inspiration from certain people in music and in sports during my upbringing. I needed that."

Even after all he has accomplished, James is still looking to live up to that standard.

"I hope I made him proud at least, wearing that No. 23," James said.

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LeBron James vs. Michael Jordan stats

Per game

Total

The per-game stats between Jordan and James can he heavily debated, with Jordan averaging more than 30 points per game, but James' longevity dominates the totals. James is the all-time scoring leader and has more than 12,000 assists and rebounds, with Jordan under 7,000 in both categories.

Even with the gap in games played, however, Jordan's defensive stats match up nicely. The Bulls legend still has more blocks than James in 20,000 fewer minutes.

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LeBron James vs. Michael Jordan championships

Jordan won six NBA championships, while James has won four.

Jordan never lost in the NBA Finals, reaching the round six times and winning all six times with only a brief retirement between a pair of three-peats. James has lost in the NBA Finals six times, though some value getting to the NBA Finals and losing over not reaching the Finals at all. 

LeBron James vs. Michael Jordan accolades

Jordan has more championships and MVPs than James, but James isn't far behind with four MVPs to Jordan's five:

While Jordan dominated as a pure scorer, which James acknowledged in his interview with ESPN, many make the case that James is the more well-rounded player. The Lakers star has 21 All-NBA selections, easily a record.