FOX Sports analyst Nick Wright is leading the charge for LeBron James’ GOAT campaign, recently going on the air of “First Things First” to make a case against Michael Jordan as the greatest basketball player ever.
The case against Michael Jordan not being the GOAT, according to @getnickwright:
1. Loser without Pippen
2. Never once beat Larry Bird
3. Could never beat a Super Team
4. The East was terrible
5. Everyone won rings on his watch
"We pretend Jordan's career was 6 years long." pic.twitter.com/zphIbZzQBa
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) October 13, 2020
Unsurprisingly, it got mixed reviews by fans and spectators, with some doubling-down on Nick’s points while others pointed out the flaws.
12x All-Star and NBA Hall-of-Famer Isiah Thomas, who was a major rival of Jordan’s back in the 80s and 90s, recently picked his side in the debate, regarding Wright’s segment as “facts.”
https://twitter.com/IsiahThomas/status/1317036313573470208
As a 4x Champion, 4x MVP, 16x All-Star, and 3x Olympic Gold Medalist, LeBron James certainly has an impeccable resume. With 17 years of dominance under his belt and his most recent title coming at age 35, longevity and consistency have defined his amazing career.
When it comes to MJ, however, it is worth noting that greatness was on display at 35-years-old as well. In fact, his accolades and stats may be proof that his season at 35-years-old may have been better than what we saw from Bron this year.
Additionally, there’s still a sizeable gap in achievements that separates them, with Jordan having more Rings, Finals MVPs, Defensive Player of the Year awards, All-Defensive team selections, and scoring titles.
Thomas, who felt the need to defend himself, posted a follow-up message on Twitter.
https://twitter.com/IsiahThomas/status/1317059043786170369
Thomas and Jordan don’t have a good history. During their playing days, they were bitter rivals who often got under each other’s skin. Even now, there seems to still be feelings of animosity, as Jordan himself admitted he still doesn’t like the former Pistons superstar.
No matter your opinion on the GOAT debate, it’s a matter that will never truly be settled in the NBA community. For Thomas, it’s hard to shake the feeling that it might be a little personal to him — but he has chosen his side either way.
