The NBA is a league that has seen its fair share of superstars. While we might see many make either the All-Star teams or the All-NBA, some players have carved their name in the sport’s upper echelon.
These players are the cornerstone of the ever-growing NBA and are rightly considered among the greatest players of All-Time. While many discussions may come and go, the GOAT debate has always been a constant in NBA media.
Be it someone claiming that Michael Jordan is the GOAT, there are others who claim that it is LeBron James who has been the best ever to do it. ESPN’s veteran analyst and presenter Stephen A. Smith recently had his say on the debate.
The analyst reportedly had his GOAT list in the order of Michael Jordan, followed by LeBron James, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Russell, and Magic Johnson.
While Smith has always been public about his admiration of ‘His Airness’, it was pleasing to see that the veteran analyst considered Lakers forward LeBron James as the second-best player ever to play the game.
The players following up on LBJ aren’t shabby either, with Lakers legend and 6-time NBA champion Kareem Abdul-Jabbar making a list, followed by record NBA champion Bill Russell and perhaps one of the most influential point guards in Magic Johnson.
While the top 5 list by Smith is solid, there were some noticeable commissions to the list as well, including 5-time NBA champion Kobe Bryant. While a GOAT list is subjective and might change from person to person, there is no denying that the list analyst put up back themselves in terms of records, talents, and the absurd number of individual achievements they have had.
What is more astonishing, however, is that despite him already being on the list, LeBron James is at the top of his game and still putting up ridiculous numbers all across the board. He might have 19 seasons under his belt, but he is certainly not done.
Can LBJ add some more titles and some more achievements to his ever-increasing list of accolades? Who do you think is the GOAT?
