National Basketball Association

Dwyane Wade explains why LeBron James can never surpass Michael Jordan

Published Nov. 15, 2016 2:59 p.m. ET

Andrew Lynch

Maybe Dwyane Wade is just trying to light a fire under one of his best friends. How else to explain the Chicago Bulls guard's recent comments about LeBron James?

When Wade was asked whether LeBron can ever catch Michael Jordan, the ghost that James claims he's chasing, Wade was rather blunt.

Via ESPN.com:

Over the years, Wade has used a convoluted golf metaphor to describe LeBron's standing relative to Jordan. MJ is on the 18th hole, leading the "tournament" and waiting for the rest of the field to finish their rounds. Even after LeBron crushed the Warriors in the NBA Finals this summer, though, Wade says LeBron's only as close to Jordan as the 15th hole. We have a feeling MJ would appreciate that metaphor.

Wade's comments come just a day after he revealed that he considered joining LeBron in Cleveland but ultimately decided that he didn't need to chase another ring. Instead, the three-time champion followed LeBron's path and made a homecoming of his own.

Is Wade right? Most basketball observers would probably agree; if nothing else, LeBron can never, ever match Jordan's perfect 6-for-6 record in the Finals. I'm not so sure that surpassing Jordan is completely out of the question, though, as I've written before.

The "too long; didn't read" version of what LeBron must do:

-- Stay with the Cavs for the rest of his career.

-- He can't ask for reinforcements from Wade, Chris Paul, or Carmelo Anthony

-- He has to hope the NBA doesn't miss games due to a lockout.

-- He has to get six rings at the very least — and really, he needs seven to make up for the Finals losses.

-- He needs to win the next three titles along the way, achieving a four-peat that eluded Jordan.

-- He needs to scatter the Warriors, making Kevin Durant question his decision to sign with Golden State.

-- He needs to win four more Finals MVPs, bringing his total to seven (one more than Jordan).

-- He needs to make 10 straight NBA Finals appearances.

The odds of all that happening are probably less than one-tenth of one percent. But I've ruled out LeBron before, only for the King to prove me wrong. Unlike Wade, I'm not willing to say that's all impossible.