In terms of basketball I agree, but I doubt LeBron will ever be the icon MJ is. Dude made the NBA brand into what it is today. His worldwide impact will never matched imo. Not to mention basically starting the basketball shoe industry, Space Jam, Jordan brand, etc.
I don't know dude. If you think about it, LeBron's status as an icon is pretty insane.
We're talking about the guy who was a household name as a high school kid - probably the most hyped up high school prospect of all time - and signed a shoe deal worth almost $100 million before even playing a game.
This is the guy who brought in Justin Bieber, Beyonce, Jay Z, Drake, and David Beckham to Cleveland, Ohio, to watch his return game.
The guy who prompts the publishing of hundreds of articles when he decides to play a game without his headband…
The guy who all eyes are on during the playoffs… and the first guy any member of the media or any fan usually references when talking about a series.
He has a net worth of almost $400 million and is well on his way to being a billionaire - the second billionaire athlete to, that's right, Michael Jordan.
And let's keep in mind he's only 30 years old. In 10 years, once he's out of the league and pursuing business interests, I think people will truly realize what he did for the NBA (I mean, half of ESPN would be jobless if it weren't for LeBron James) and also his global impact.