The GOAT debate simply never seems to end, with every LeBron James achievement leading to fans debating about who the best NBA player of all time is with renewed fervor. While the majority is split between Michael Jordan and LeBron James, there are shouts for several players from the past as well. Players like Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, and Bill Russell are often included in these conversations.
It’s always hard to compare these players though, considering that very few of their primes coincided with the others. Even when they did go head to head, it was obvious that they each had their strengths, special abilities that made them unique and brilliant. Adding to that, every era in basketball has been different, with basketball changing in drastic ways over the decades.
So it makes sense that Draymond Green seems to think that there is no point in having debates about who the GOAT is. Speaking on JJ Redick’s Old Man and the Three podcast, Dray explained that there is no point comparing greats across eras and that fans should just accept that LeBron James and Michael Jordan, for example, can both be considered greats of the game without a comparison (via Sportskeeda).
“When it comes to players in all of these different eras, we want to take one guy and say that guy is the greatest of all time. The reality is, I think it’s ridiculous. Just like I say I’m the greatest defender of all time. I don’t really mean I’m the greatest.”
Green, who is considered one of the best defenders of his generation, also gave his own example. He explained that he cannot compare himself to Bill Russell when it comes to defense either.
“I can’t say I’m a better defender than Bill Russell. I never saw Bill Russell play. How can I possibly say I’m a better defender than him?”
Unsurprisingly, this is a pretty good take from Draymond, who is one of the more articulate basketball players in the league. While it’s true that Michael Jordan never lost in the finals, it’s also true that he managed to take his team to that point 4 times less than LeBron James. These comparisons can carry on forever, but perhaps the best thing to do is to enjoy every player’s greatness.
