In sports media, some words are just begging to be meme’d. “Cherry-picking” is now one of them, especially when it’s tossed at LeBron James like it’s a loose rebound. But this time, someone sent that fruit basket right back. And who better to deliver the return serve than Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul?
The fire started with David Falk, Michael Jordan’s longtime agent, who recently said: “I really like LeBron, but I think if Jordan had cherry-picked what teams he wanted to be on and two other superstars, he would have won 15 championships.” On paper, it’s a spicy take. On air, it was jet fuel. But Rich Paul didn’t flinch. Sitting across from Rich Eisen, he unpacked the narrative like it was long overdue luggage.
“You know David Falk said something the other day about LeBron cherry-picking… and I’m like, hmm, that’s interesting,” Paul said, pausing for effect like a man who knows the weight of his words. “If we’re going to make a fruit basket here… maybe I’ll send you one after I leave.” A cherry-picked comeback and a fruit pun? Game, set, match.
Paul didn’t stop there. He pointed out the double standard in how LeBron’s career is dissected versus the golden-child glow surrounding MJ’s legacy. “The careers of LeBron and Michael Jordan—it’s not apples and apples,” he explained. “That cherry-picking terminology, coming from someone who literally had John Thompson, Dean Smith, and Mike Krzyzewski supporting his business… I think he was part of the cherry clan.” Yes. The cherry clan. That’s a quote.
What Paul’s referencing isn’t just agent jealousy or turf war talk. He’s digging into something deeper—the institutional advantages that shaped Jordan’s rise compared to LeBron’s route. Jordan walked into a world designed to polish his legacy. LeBron James? He bulldozed through one.
Falk’s suggestion that Jordan never needed to “pick his teams” ignores the machine around MJ from day one. Jordan didn’t have to join stars. Stars came to him—or were drafted, developed, and handed to him with top-tier coaching. “Michael played for Dean Smith. Michael played for Phil Jackson. And Michael had Jerry Krause,” Paul noted. “Michael’s never been the underdog in any Finals. Not one time.”
In fact, the tone Rich Paul struck might be the closest thing we’ve seen to a reality check fired directly from LeBron’s inner circle. No press release. No Instagram Story. Just someone who’s been in the trenches beside LeBron James for two decades, calmly dismantling old-guard spin with facts, perspective, and a little fruity sarcasm.
Greatness was on the menu, but LeBron James cooked up his own damn feast
LeBron’s numbers don’t just tell a story, they rather write a saga. Over a 20+ year career, he’s racked up 38,652 points (and counting), making him the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. Beyond the buckets, he’s dished out over 11,700 assists and grabbed 10,600+ rebounds, showcasing a triple-double threat on steroids. Four MVP awards, 19 All-Star appearances, and 4 NBA championships later, LeBron’s legacy isn’t just built on hype. It’s carved in cold, hard stats. When you talk about impact, no one’s checking boxes quite like Bron.
And here’s where Rich really uncorks it. “Michael never had a 24-hour, 365-day news cycle. He never had shows built strictly to criticize him. People made millions of dollars criticizing LeBron James. That was their entire job.” And well, where’s the lie?
The idea that LeBron had an easier ride because he changed teams? That’s revisionist history soaked in nostalgia. Rich Paul isn’t saying LeBron’s better than MJ. He’s not even trying to. What he’s doing is throwing cold water on these overly simplified debates that pit greatness against greatness with no context.
“I’m not up here to discredit Michael Jordan,” Paul said. “I love Michael Jordan. But I don’t think Michael Jordan would have used the term ‘cherry-pick.’” That’s the key. Respect doesn’t mean silence. And for Paul, the real issue is why these comparisons so often come from corners that benefited enormously from Jordan’s mythos. Falk built his entire business with the backing of three legendary college coaches and the NBA’s most iconic front office. Is that not a “pick”?
“I just thought that was a little beneath David,” Paul added. “For a number of reasons.” If Falk’s comments were the match, Paul just built the bonfire. But instead of stoking the GOAT debate flames, Rich flipped the script to something bigger: Why aren’t the greats collaborating instead of getting dragged into barbershop bracketology every five minutes? “I’m more focused on less about who’s the GOAT and more about why I can’t be at a dinner with those two guys having a great conversation,” he said. “Or why I can’t put a little bit of the money I’ve earned into a fund those two guys formulated.” Translation? Instead of arguing who would win a hypothetical Finals, how about creating the next Blackstone?
This was more than a defense of LeBron. It was a takedown of tired narratives. Delivered with poise, wit, and the subtle burn of someone who’s seen the inner workings of the league up close. And yeah, it was personal. Because to Rich Paul, cherry-picking isn’t just a critique of career choices. It’s a dog whistle for discrediting Black agency, legacy, and control in the business of sports.
And he’s not having it. So next time someone tries to serve LeBron slander disguised as basketball purity, they better come with more than produce puns. Rich Paul’s already got the fruit basket packed, and this time, it’s coming with receipts.
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