Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant greater than LeBron James, Stephen Curry for one reason

The NBA GOAT debate is always a hot topic. In one category, it's no contest. Kobe and Jordan destroy LeBron and Steph.

Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images

"It's gotta be the shoes."

In one of the most iconic commercials that made the juggernaut Nike Jordan brand a household name, Mars Blackmon, touts the famous tagline above. The rest, as the cliche goes, is history.

Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley during the 1993 NBA Finals in Chicago. / Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

$7 billion in revenue later (as of 2024), Nike desperately depends on the Jordan brand. While it has made its namesake, six-time NBA champion Chicago Bulls hero Michael Jordan, a billionaire several times over (worth $3 billion as recently as 2023), it's the shoes that catapult him well past LeBron James' middling Nike line and Stephen Curry's barely-on-the-sneakerheads-radar Under Armour line in the GOAT debate.

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One of the other highly valued lines for Nike are the late Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant's Kobes collection, now overseen by his widow Vanessa. After a contentious falling out got mended in 2022, Kobes have had smashing successes recently. Last year, the Kobe brand quadrupled in sales. It's also the most worn sneaker in the NBA, so the Kobe legacy continues to shine bright after his tragic death.

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

And make no mistake, even though the merits of Jordan's, LeBron's, Kobe's and Steph's on-the-court exploits are always hotly debated by NBA talking heads and fans alike, like PK Subban and Shannon Sharpe yesterday morning on ESPN's bombastic "First Take" extremely at odds with where LeBron stacks up vs. MJ and Kobe, or Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi absolutely putting Steph in the same category as LeBron and MJ, with sneakers there is no such argument.

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"LeBron's great, but he ain't Kobe, he ain't Jordan...yeah I did, I put Kobe ahead of him!" - P.K. Subban joins First Take for some hockey talk pic.twitter.com/2lfYaeS5Pw

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 7, 2025

"[Steph Curry] should be up there with LeBron and Jordan."@S10Bird and @DianaTaurasi react to @jalensuggs saying Steph Curry is one of the most challenging matchups he's had in the league 👀 pic.twitter.com/eoOw401grn

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) April 6, 2025

Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant crush LeBron and Steph.

It's hard to pinpoint numbers on the success, or lack thereof, of the LeBron line. But it's obvious in what Nike releases that the Jordan brand is exponentially more successful. The Jordan brand reached $7 billion in 2024, up 6% year-over-year.

Apr 6, 2025: LeBron's Nike kicks during a recent Lakers game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Even though LeBron signed the highly-publicized Nike lifetime deal reportedly worth over $1 billion in theory, estimated to be $32 million annually in reality, his shoe-line revenue is absent from Nike's $51 billion investor reporting, especially after a disappointing 2024. It seems like LeBron's line is far south of that billion number annually, with speculation in the $300-$400 million range.

Then there's the Curry line, and given Under Armour's tiny market share compared to global behemoth Nike, the Golden State Warriors legend should be commended for playing anywhere in the same space as the LeBrons with Nike. Look no further than this chart.

Alts.co

Under Armour has given him expanded power as president of the Curry Brand and the same LeBron lifetime extension, reported to be around $20 million annually. According a report from Sports Business Journal, the Curry line pulls in about $250 million in annual sales. That's a huge win for such a small brand, but nowhere near the GOAT legacy impact needed once the greatest shooter of all time retires.

David Gonzales-Imagn Images

That's not to mention new successful Nike brands popping up all the time, especially like WNBA star (and Curry protegé) Sabrina Ionescu, who's Sabrina line grew five times in revenue in 2024.

For reasons that go way beyond the court, MJ and the late Kobe have a huge advantage in the GOAT debate once LeBron and Steph decide to call it a career.

It's gotta be the shoes.

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