Portland Trail Blazers: Damian Lillard explains why he thinks Michael Jordan is more athletic than LeBron James

Trail Blazers superstar Damian Lillard recently made news for saying he would take Michael Jordan over LeBron James in terms of athleticism. He offered an explanation as to why.

We’ve officially reached the “summer time” of the NBA. Historically, this has been the point of the year in which fans sharpen their knowledge on potential Draft prospects, craft wish lists on free agency targets, and, who could forget: add new dimensions to the everlasting Jordan vs. LeBron debate. Last night on Twitter, Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard added a new dossier to that debate in a Twitter Q&A.

As he’s been wont to do, Lillard fielded questions from fans. One question in particular has been surfacing across news outlets; the star guard was asked to choose three attributes he would want to take from anyone in the history of the NBA. His response?

Michael Jordan’s athleticism, LeBron James’ durability, and Kevin Durant’s size and skill set.

Speaking almost subjectively, Lillard has tapped into James’ durability trait. Since entering the NBA, he’s never missed more than ten games in any season, no easy feat for a player who commands as much responsibility as he does. But the larger talking point came in that Lillard said that Jordan was more athletic than James, a take some fans seemed to disagree with.

Lillard said he thought the way Jordan moved was different.

Anyone who has had the opportunity to watch Jordan play, either live or in highlights, likely understands what Damian Lillard is alluding to. James, even in his athletic prime in Cleveland, relied more on force, power and brute strength, Jordan had a mien, or aura about the way he gracefully played. Perhaps that’s captured best in his ability to hang and glide in the air longer than opponents, connecting on switch-hand layups.

Jordan, in most facets, put that on display for the public more often. For example, there’s still speculation on what his actual vertical leap is. In 2010, ESPN’s John Dorsey reported that it was “somewhere north of 40 inches,” whereas Jordan’s has been pegged as somewhere between 46-to-48 inches. Then, there’s the 2009 All-Star Weekend, when James teased fans with his promise to join the Slam Dunk Contest, something that could have added to his allure.

All in all, Lillard’s take was justifiable. Even if it adds to an already never-ending debate, and one that we had better prepare ourselves for over the next few months, it’s at least an interesting, fresher talking point than Finals records.