Colin Cowherd offered a new comparison involving LeBron James and Michael Jordan during the latest episode of The Herd with Colin Cowherd, discussing James' growing offensive role with the Los Angeles Lakers.
The comments came after the Lakers' 142-130 win over the Chicago Bulls on Thursday night, a game that showcased the team's offensive depth with strong performances from Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
Cowherd began the segment by revisiting his earlier predictions about the season, noting the unusual circumstances created by Doncic entering his prime while James remains a central figure in the offense.
"What's really happened this year that has made it tough for LeBron is that Austin Reaves has popped and now LeBron has to have the ball as the third offensive option on the Lakers. So asking a guy who was the face of the NBA for 20 years, 'Hey, we not only need you to be off the ball with Luka. [Doncic]But also Austin Reeves'. This is a great question. I don't think Michael Jordan would have done that. I don't think most of the all-time players are going to do that."
Cowherd continued by emphasizing that James' willingness to adapt reflects his focus on winning rather than individual scoring.
"And the fact is LeBron has always been about winning and he has won and I've defended him before when he didn't take big shots like MJ or Kobe, and I will say he's a winning player, he plays perfect basketball."
"Asking a guy who was the face of the NBA for 20 years, 'Hey, we need to be off the ball with not only Luka [Doncic]But also Austin Reeves'. This is a great question. I don't think Michael Jordan would have done that."
Colin Cowherd on LeBron James 👀pic.twitter.com/3m4iqLnGBj
- ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 13 March 2026
He ultimately concluded the segment by reiterating the difficulty of asking a player of James' stature to transition to a tertiary offensive role.
"I think that's a big question. I don't think MJ would have done it, I don't think a lot of stars who can still play at LeBron's level individually would do it. But LeBron has always been a winning player, I think he deserves credit for committing to this kind of basketball when you can score 24 or more a night for half the teams in the league."
Colin Cowherd's Michael Jordan comparison highlights LeBron James' evolving Lakers role
James' performance Thursday reflected the Lakers' evolving offensive structure. The 41-year-old finished with 18 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, two steals and one block, while shooting 7-for-13 from the field and 4-for-6 from the free-throw line in 33 minutes.
Doncic led the Lakers with an impressive performance, recording 51 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists, while adding three steals and a block. He shot 17 for 31 from the field and made nine of his 14 attempts from three-point range in 37 minutes.
Reeves also played a key role in the win, scoring 30 points with seven assists, five rebounds and one steal, while shooting 13-for-20 from the field and 4-for-7 from three in 39 minutes.
Now in his 23rd NBA season, James is averaging 21.4 points per game – his lowest scoring average since posting 20.9 points as a rookie during the 2003–04 season. He averaged seven assists, 5.7 rebounds and 1.1 blocks while shooting 50.5 percent from the field and 31 percent from three-point range in 45 games.
The win improved the Lakers to 41–25 on the season and clinched the third seed in the Western Conference. Los Angeles will host the Denver Nuggets (41-26) on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. on ABC before beginning a six-game road trip Monday night against the Houston Rockets (40-25).
