Dennis Rodman Thinks This Is Holding Back LeBron James From Reaching MJ's Level

Dennis Rodman shared what he feels is holding LeBron James back from reaching Michael Jackson's level.

Dennis Rodman watches a Lakers game.
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Image via Getty/Noel Vasquez/Contributor

Dennis Rodman watches a Lakers game.

Dennis Rodman is, for whatever reason, not a huge LeBron James fan. Back in 2013, he talked about how he thinks LeBron would have been an "average" player if he had played in the 1990s. And it seems he still has a bone to pick with LeBron almost four years later.

During an interview with CBS Sports this week, the issue of NBA players resting during games came up. And Rodman said that he hates to see guys like LeBron on the bench when their teams are playing. He also took it one step further and said that LeBron resting is one of the things that is preventing him from being mentioned in the same breath as Michael Jordan. At least in his mind.

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"You know what, LeBron’s doing one thing that I always said that Michael Jordan never did," Rodman said. "He never rested. He played every game. LeBron has the position to do this now, because they need him. The league needs him, and that’s why he’s doing all this crazy shit now, like bitching and complaining and all this bullshit."

Rodman also went on to say that LeBron has it "very easy" in the league today. He also compared him to MJ again and said that MJ was a much tougher player than LeBron.

"Back then, when he was getting his ass whupped, I mean beat down every game, and then when he played against us [the Pistons], he said—guess what—'I gotta go back in the gym,'" Rodman said. "And he got tough. He got tough, and he got great. And greater. So that’s it."

Rodman is right about MJ rarely missing games. According to ESPN, Jordan played all 82 games in a season on nine different occasions throughout the course of his career. LeBron, meanwhile, has never played a full 82-game season, even though he’s managed to avoid major injuries during his career.

But does that mean MJ is tougher than LeBron and that LeBron has it "very easy" compared to MJ? Eh, not really.

And to put things into perspective, Warriors coach Steve Kerr—who played with Rodman from 1995 to 1998 on the Bulls—took a jab at Rodman’s comments after the Warriors game against the Suns on Wednesday night.

"I saw Dennis Rodman was complaining about [players resting]," Kerr said. "I got a kick out of that because Dennis was suspended for 15 games a year anyway. The guy got plenty of rest. Or [went to] Vegas or WrestleMania. He just took a night off whenever he wanted, so he can’t complain."

Touché. What other LeBron criticisms you got, Worm?

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