- Michael Jordan is the GOAT for the majority of the population
- LeBron has loyal teammates, but major ones believe Jordan is ahead of him
- The GOAT debate will never end, but professional players have their say
In the pantheon of basketball legends, the debate over who holds the title of “Greatest of All Time” (GOAT) has fueled countless discussions and ignited fervent passions among fans, players, and analysts alike. At the heart of this debate stand two iconic figures: LeBron James and Michael Jordan. Both athletes have left an indelible mark on the sport, redefining excellence and setting new standards for greatness.
While LeBron James has undoubtedly established himself as one of the modern era’s premier players, it is intriguing to delve into the perspectives of those who have shared the court with him – his teammates. Surprisingly, within the inner circle of LeBron’s colleagues, there exists a subset of individuals who firmly believe that Michael Jordan reigns supreme as the ultimate basketball GOAT.
In this exploration, we uncover the thoughts and opinions of ten of LeBron James’ teammates who hold the view that Michael Jordan is the unparalleled pinnacle of basketball achievement. Through their insights, we gain a unique vantage point into the ongoing debate and the reverence that Jordan’s legacy commands even among those who have witnessed LeBron’s brilliance up close. Here are the 10 prominent teammates of LeBron James who think Michael Jordan is the greatest player of all time.
Anthony Davis, Dwyane Wade, Ray Allen, Jared Dudley, Iman Shumpert
Thanks to an eye-opening video that perfectly describes the GOAT debate, five of LeBron James’ teammates have made clear their opinion: Dwyane Wade, Anthony Davis, Ray Allen, Iman Shumpert, and Jared Dudley.
How LeBron James' teammates and peers view him and the GOAT debate vs how Michael Jordan's peers viewed Michael Jordan pic.twitter.com/q19RezyvHd
— BossHogg (@6Hogg6) December 22, 2021
Anthony Davis: “Jordan… Jordan.”
Dwyane Wade: “Michael Jordan… he will be my GOAT until the day I pass away.”
Ray Allen: “For me, it’s MJ all day long.”
Jared Dudley: “Of all time? Oh, it’s Jordan.”
Iman Shumpert: Jordan. Yeah… like I said, man, LeBron you my dog you know this though.”
Through one video alone, five of LeBron James’ former and current teammates made it clear that Michael Jordan is simply the greatest to have ever done it. Perhaps the two most important people there, Anthony Davis and Dwyane Wade, made their statements clear. Both Davis and Wade are LeBron’s greatest-ever teammates because they helped The King win three championships as the sidekick and, in many ways, the closers.
The role players such as Ray Allen, Jared Dudley, and Iman Shumpert also have deep respect for LeBron James but the name that comes to their minds first is none other than Air Jordan. If that isn’t enough convincing, find out what two other guards and former LeBron teammates had to say.
Quinn Cook
Even as a bench player, Quinn Cook got to see LeBron James in his prime capture the 2020 NBA championship with the Los Angeles Lakers. Cook was there in 2020 and 2021, although he only played 16 games in 2021. Regardless, he had an interesting take on the GOAT conversation when Michael Jordan’s name was brought up:
Quinn Cook: “Yeah, yeah, for sure,” Cook said. “Mike’s the GOAT. We have GOATs of our generation. I think Mike’s the greatest of all time, especially in the ’80s and ’90s. Then Kobe had his time; Shaq had his time. LeBron has been he most dominant [player] for 17 straight years. The GOAT is a generational question to me.”
Cook’s presence for the Lakers was important because he was a solid outside shooter and a reliable backup option. However, having front-row seats to witness LeBron places him in the appropriate company to make a statement about who the greatest player is. Here is what more of LeBron’s teammates had to say below.
Mario Chalmers
Here is more video evidence of a former LeBron James teammate making the GOAT conversation as clear as a sunny afternoon:
Mario Chalmers: “He [Michael Jordan] is the GOAT, not even a question.”
Mario Chalmers won two titles in back-to-back fashion alongside LeBron James in Miami. The starting point guard, Chalmers, had a solid career with the Heat by posting averages of 8.6 points, 3.6 assists, and 1.4 steals per game between 2011 and 2014 when LeBron was there.
Having a first-hand view of James’ successes and especially his failures (2011 Finals), Chalmers made it clear that Jordan is the greatest of all time and it is not even a conversation. In fact, Chalmers’ statements were far more powerful than that, as he might have taken a shot at the King who once ran Miami. You don’t have to agree with Chalmers’ statements, but you must respect where he is coming from.
J.R. Smith
J.R. Smith has many different points of view but he did make it clear in a Twitter post who he thought the greatest of all time was after watching the docuseries, “The Last Dance”.
J.R. Smith: “Can’t lie kinda hard watching the last dance knowing this is the last time we gone see a doc of the GOAT!”
Smith was the starting shooting guard for the Cleveland Cavaliers during their 2016 championship run and was there when LeBron James and Kyrie Irving kick-started a 3-1 comeback to win the series at the expense of the Golden State Warriors. The King truly benefitted from Smith’s deep-range shooting (40.0% from three in 2016) and improved perimeter defense.
Even if Smith gets ridiculed for his boneheaded play in Game 1 of the 2018 Finals, he proved to be a valuable member of LeBron’s crew and whatever he says has to be taken into proper consideration because he was there alongside The King during both the good and bad times.
Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Anthony is known to be one of the best scorers of his generation and an elite player with a Hall of Fame resume. After all, he made it to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team which is a testament to his greatness. Interestingly, even if Anthony was a legend in Denver and New York, he was LeBron’s teammate with the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2021-22 season. Guess what? ‘Melo had his say:
Carmelo Anthony: “You know, M.J. is the GOAT. He’s the greatest ever. We all know that and we all agree to that. Why can’t we say that, but also give LeBron his flowers while he’s here too?”
Anthony is a player that has been around the league for 19 seasons and has been the star of the league and also shunned without a job. As a former superstar that is clearly one of the most talented offensive players ever, Carmelo Anthony’s opinion must be held with weight, and even when he played alongside James with the Lakers, he can’t argue against what Michael Jordan did as a member of the Chicago Bulls.
Shaquille O’Neal
The most dominant player ever, arguably, also has his say in the GOAT debate. Many might not remember, but The Diesel was actually a teammate of LeBron James with the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2009-10 season. Even if Shaq was past his prime at 37 years old, he still had the resume to back him up and witnessed the MVP version of LeBron.
Shaquille O’Neal: “I think the greatest player is Michael Jordan. That’s what I think.”
Shaq seems to be on the Michael Jordan bandwagon as he joins a list of other talented former LeBron teammates who are on the same track. As great as LeBron James is, even some of his best teammates and friends have to say that His Airness is the greatest player ever, and the debate could be put to rest once and for all.
