The GOAT debate can always be a touchy subject. Fans of both Michael Jordan and LeBron James continuously argue about the matter on a near-daily basis. And legendary NBA analyst David Aldridge spoke on the Rich Eisen Show about why he thinks Michael Jordan is above LeBron James as the greatest player of all time, and explained that Jordan was just dominant and impactful in a way LeBron wasn’t.
“There’s no secrets. We’re not shy about who number one is; it’s Michael Jordan… I always say this when people have asked me about this over the years. LeBron has got a case.”
“Let’s not act like he doesn’t have a case. It’s a good case, it’s a really good case, With his longevity, being great in year 22 is insane, still being this good. The championships, the MVPs, all of that. And the scoring record. All of that is a legitimate, real case…”
“The reason why I think Michael Jordan is number one, having seen all of these guys play… Michael Jordan has the greatest will of any professional athlete I’ve ever seen. Never seen anybody who was as driven as he was, not just to win, but to dominate. He sent everybody home.”
“The Pistons got him early but after the Bulls broke through, nobody beat them ever. Didn’t need a seventh game in an NBA Finals. Won all six titles in six games or less. Dominated at every level. A great defensive player was still a really good defensive player late in his career.”
“And he is the greatest scorer I’ve ever seen, could score from anywhere against anybody at any time. I just think the totality of his impact on the game, his impact socially, and his impact globally just leads to the same conclusion. He’s the best ever…”
Aldridge certainly makes a strong argument for Michael Jordan while showing respect to LeBron James and other NBA legends. However, one could make the argument that Aldridge isn’t giving James enough credit for adapting to a change in style that happened while he was in the league.
Can LeBron Surpass Jordan As The GOAT?
While some might already consider LeBron James to be the greatest of all time, there are those, like Aldridge, who do not think he is ahead of Michael Jordan. If that is the case, the question needs to be asked: Is there anything LeBron James can do to surpass Michael Jordan as the GOAT in their eyes?
The obvious answer would be to at least match him in championships won. But that argument has always been a strawman, as the number of championships doesn’t determine how great a player is.
That would make Bill Russell the greatest of all time. Even legendary role player Robert Horry would be ahead of Jordan on the GOAT list with seven NBA championships.
There are others who have suggested that James winning at least one more championship, at his advanced age, would bolster his placement on the list above Jordan. There is no denying that winning an NBA championship at 40 years old, with your son as a teammate would be an amazing feather in LeBron’s cap.
In his career, Michael Jordan won six NBA championships and Finals MVPs, five regular season MVPs, a Defensive Player of the Year award, made 14 All-Star teams, 11 All-NBA teams, nine All-Defensive teams, and 10 NBA scoring titles.
As for LeBron James, he has won four NBA championships and Finals MVP, an NBA Cup and Cup MVP, four regular season MVPs, holds the NBA’s all-time scoring record, made 20 All-Star and All-NBA teams, and six All-Defensive Teams in his career.
The truth is, and forever will be – the GOAT debate is incredibly subjective. Both players have a more than valid case to be considered the greatest of all time, and depending on which player someone is a fan of, they will always consider them the greatest player of all time.
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