Skip Bayless has been ripping LeBron James for more than a decade. The veteran sports pundit isn’t a fan of the Los Angeles Lakers superstar and believes Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan is the greatest player in NBA history.
On ESPN and FS1, Bayless has bashed LeBron left and right for several things. However, the controversial sports personality once said 10 nice things about LeBron after losing a bet to GQ writer Mark Anthony Green, who just so happens to be a huge fan of LeBron.
In February 2020, Green came on “Undisputed” and made a bet with Bayless that if LeBron reached the 2020 NBA Finals, Bayless would have to say 10 nice things about LeBron. The Lakers made the 2020 Finals and won against the Miami Heat.
When Bayless lost the bet, he said many nice things about LeBron.
“No. 1: LeBron James was the greatest high school basketball player ever, even greater than Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar),” Bayless said. “No. 2: No player in the history of the National Basketball Association has stood up better to an NBA debut expectation the way LeBron James did at Sacramento the night of October 29th, 2003. … No. 3: Since LeBron James has entered the NBA, he has been the best passer in basketball. … No. 4: LeBron James is still the greatest driver of the basketball I have ever seen. … No. 5: No athlete has ever been a more consistently powerful speaker on race or social justice topics.
“No. 6: LeBron stood up to pressure, I don’t believe any NBA player has ever faced or felt, in Game 6 at Boston in 2012 (LeBron had 45 points, 15 rebounds and five assists). … Point No. 7: I love the humility that LeBron James displayed moments after he finally broke through and won his first ring in Game 5 in Miami against the Oklahoma City Thunder (LeBron said it’s about damn time). … No. 8: In 2013, LeBron James played a great Game 7 against my Spurs: 37 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and two steals. That was a great Game 7 against what was left of my Spurs. … No. 9: LeBron James is the most durable superstar ever. I’ve said that 100,00 times. … No. 10: LeBron James should’ve been the regular-season MVP this season (2019-20). I said it 19 times on this show. He deserved the MVP.”
Bayless doesn’t like LeBron. He’ll never admit it, but it’s clear as day that Bayless has some personal vendetta against LeBron.
When LeBron signed with the Heat in 2010 to play with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, Bayless — along with every pundit in America — called it a weak move. Everyone wanted to see LeBron take the Jordan route and compete against the NBA’s best players instead of playing with them.
In the 2011 NBA Finals, LeBron choked against the Dallas Mavericks. Bayless had a field day during the summer of 2011, as he ripped LeBron for coming up shorter than mini-me on the NBA’s biggest stage.
At the time, LeBron was 0-2 in the NBA Finals.
In 2012, the Heat defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals. LeBron finally won his first championship and Finals MVP, but Bayless didn’t give LeBron any credit. He said Thunder star Kevin Durant gifted LeBron the title since the two All-Stars are friends.
During the 2013 NBA Finals, Bayless’ heart was broken when his San Antonio Spurs lost to LeBron and the Heat in seven games. At the time, Bayless once again didn’t give LeBron props for winning the championship.
Bayless claimed Ray Allen saved LeBron’s’ legacy by hitting the game-tying 3-pointer in Game 6 to send the contest into overtime. The Heat won Games 6 and 7 to take home the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
Bayless and the Spurs got their revenge against LeBron and the Heat in the 2014 NBA Finals since San Antonio won the title over Miami.
When LeBron returned to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the summer of 2014 and lost to the Golden State Warriors in the 2015 NBA Finals, Bayless criticized LeBron for having a losing record in the Finals.
LeBron and the Cavaliers made history in the 2016 NBA Finals by erasing a 3-1 series deficit against the Warriors to win the championship. However, Bayless said LeBron got lucky since the NBA suspended Warriors forward Draymond Green for Game 5.
After winning the 2020 championship with the Lakers, LeBron improved to 4-6 in the NBA Finals.
Incredibly, LeBron has never acknowledged Bayless. The 20-time All-Star doesn’t have time to talk about a critic who is just saying outlandish things for attention.
LeBron has career averages of 27.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, 7.4 assists, 1.5 steals and 0.7 blocks with the Cavaliers, Heat and Lakers. He’s a four-time MVP, a four-time champion and a four-time Finals MVP.
LeBron, who grew up idolizing Jordan, is first in NBA history in points, fourth in assists, eighth in steals, second in field goals, eighth in 3-point field goals, fifth in triple-doubles, seventh in points per game and third in player efficiency rating.
LeBron is the only player in NBA history to rank top five all-time in points and assists, the only player to win three Finals MVPs with three different teams, the only player with 30,000 points, 10,000 rebounds and 10,000 assists and the only player to score 40,000 points.
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