Phil Jackson said LeBron needed to be Mike but King James said ‘no thanks’.

In 2016, the Cleveland Cavaliers were on the verge of losing back-to-back NBA Finals to the Golden State Warriors after the Dubs raced to a 2-0 series lead.

Before Game 3, former Bulls and Lakers head coach Phil Jackson was asked what the Cavs have to do to get back in the series. Jackson then referenced Michael Jordan’s performance in the 1993 NBA Eastern ConferenceFinals after the Bulls went down 0-2 to the New York Knicks.

According to Jackson, Jordan pulled the cape of Superman and became a man possessed after that. The Bulls won the next four games of the series. Phil said LeBron James had to do that.

“I mean, what does that actually mean?” said LeBron when reporters told him about what Jackson said. “I mean, I think for me to go out and be who I am and play as true to the game and as hard as I can and try to lead this team, that’s who I am. Not anybody else. I’m not Michael. I’m not Ali.”

“I’m not nobody else that’s done so many great things for sport. I am who I am, and if I’m able to go out and put together a game like that, it wasn’t because I was possessed. It’s because I worked on my craft all season long and that’s the result of it. Phil’s a great coach. Mike’s a great player. But I am who I am,” LBJ concluded.

Jordan pulled the cape after the Bulls fell down 0-2

The Knicks were determined to prevent a three-peat as they took a 2-0 series lead over MJ and the Bulls in the 1993 Eastern Conference Finals. In Game 3, Jordan struggled on 3-18 FG shooting but missed only one out of 17 free throw attempts to score 22 points with 11 assists and 8 rebounds.

He followed that up with a 54-point explosion in Game 4 as the Bulls evened the series. MJ then closed out the Knick with a triple-double in Game 5 and a 25 points-9 assists outing in Game 6. Chicago would beat the Phoenix Suns in the Finals to complete their first three-peat.

Meanwhile, the Cavs won Game 3 of the 2016 NBA Finals, then fell to a 1-3 series hole when LeBron turned on the switch. Cleveland won the next two games of the series, with James scoring 41 points in consecutive outings. Then, in Game 7, LeBron recorded a 27-point triple-double to lead Cleveland to its first title.

Did LeBron’s feelings got hurt?

While LeBron wasn’t affected by Jackson’s comments, many believe that he got motivated when Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson said after Game 4 that he (James) got his feelings hurt after an incident with Draymond Green. However, California native dismissed that idea.

“I don’t think LeBron really went to sleep, pinned that up, and used that for motivation. But if he did, it’s all right,” Thompson said. “We still had three opportunities to close it out, and we didn’t. So, I don’t think that was the game-changer.”

Whatever it was, LBJ was able to dig deep and deliver a performance for the ages in the final three games of the series. If you think of it, LeBron looked like he put on a superhero cape from Games 5 to 7. But then again, James said it’s a product of hard work, and he is who he is. Let’s leave it at that.