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[Saba Sports News] Michael Jordan’s longtime agent recently took a shot at LeBron James — and now Rich Paul is firing back on behalf of his client and close friend.
David Falk, who represented Jordan throughout his legendary NBA career, spoke with Rob Schaefer of Sports Business Journal in a wide-ranging interview published Tuesday.
When asked about the greatest player of all time, Falk unsurprisingly placed Jordan at No. 1 — but what stood out was who didn’t come next.
Falk dismissed the idea of a Jordan-LeBron debate, saying he’d put either Kareem Abdul-Jabbar or Kobe Bryant second. While he acknowledged that LeBron ranks in his top 10, Falk knocked James for switching teams and forming star-studded rosters.
“I really like LeBron,” Falk said. “But I think if Jordan had cherry-picked what teams he wanted to be on and two other superstars, he would’ve won 15 championships.”
The remark referred to LeBron’s championship runs — first with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami, then with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love in Cleveland, and finally with Anthony Davis in L.A.
Rich Paul, founder of Klutch Sports and LeBron’s agent, didn’t let the comments slide. Appearing Thursday on The Rich Eisen Show, Paul addressed Falk’s remarks head-on, clearly taking issue with the “cherry-picking” jab.
“When you look at that — the cherry-pick stuff — I’ve talked about that,” Paul said. “Michael never had to leave. Michael was never the underdog in any Finals. Not once. And he didn’t have to deal with the 24/7 news cycle or shows dedicated solely to criticizing him. People built entire careers just tearing LeBron down.”
Paul also pointed out that Jordan benefited from elite coaching and front office support throughout his career, name-dropping Dean Smith, Phil Jackson, and GM Jerry Krause. Paul emphasized his deep respect for Jordan, but questioned the language Falk used.
“I’m the biggest Michael Jordan fan ever,” Paul said. “But I don’t think Michael would’ve used the term ‘cherry-pick.’ So I’m not here to discredit Michael Jordan. He transcended the game in a way we’ve all benefited from.”
Paul also called Falk’s comments “beneath him” and added that Falk’s own success came thanks to relationships with legendary coaches like Smith, Mike Krzyzewski, and John Thompson — relationships that Paul implied made Falk’s “cherry-picking” critique a bit hypocritical.
Comparing players across eras is always a fraught exercise, which is why many in the basketball world avoid taking sides in the LeBron vs. Jordan debate. But it’s safe to say Falk and Paul are firmly planted on opposite ends of that conversation.