Wilbon Reveals Jordan's Early Support for LeBron

Veteran ESPN broadcaster Mike Wilbon revealed a previously private conversation with Michael Jordan that demonstrated the basketball legend's early support for LeBron James, amid the enduring debate over the greatest NBA player of all time.

Wilbon shared the anecdote during a recent appearance on ESPN's First Take. He recounted speaking with Jordan after the Cleveland Cavaliers' 2010 Eastern Conference semifinals loss to the Boston Celtics in six games. James, then 25, drew sharp criticism for removing his jersey on the court and leaving without shaking hands. The next day, Jordan called Wilbon and urged restraint. "Take it easy on this kid," Jordan said, according to Wilbon, before listing specific qualities he admired in James. Jordan drew from his own early career struggles, including three straight playoff losses to the Detroit Pistons and criticism as a scoring champion who could not yet win titles. "If people think that Jordan has somehow resented LeBron, they're wrong," Wilbon concluded.

The comments surfaced as James, now 41 and in his 23rd NBA season, leads the Los Angeles Lakers to a 3-1 lead over the Houston Rockets in their first-round playoff series. Game 5 is...