Over the past 75 years, the NBA has showcased many amazing and extraordinary players. From Wilt Chamberlain to LeBron James, the league has always had its signature names, and no generation has been without basketball greatness.
Of course, this makes things highly interesting for the fans and media, who like to compare all of the greatest players (both past and present) with each other.
Today, the ‘GOAT debate’ is one of the most prominent conversations and debates involving basketball, and it’s certainly fun to hear different views and perspectives on the topic.
For NBA legend Kareem-Abdul Jabbar, though, it’s an impossible matter to settle. In a chat with basketball insider Marc Stein, he explained why:
“GOAT discussions are fun, like debating who’s faster: Superman or the Flash. It’s a metaphysical mystery. The question can never be answered because players from the past were trained under different restrictions and played under different rules,” the Lakers icon explained. “Then you have to ask what to give more weight to: Scoring, defense, assists? All of them? But the stats don’t always reveal the particular conditions and challenges of each season. Way too many variables. How about we just discuss the O’GOAT (One of the Greatest of All-Time)?”
Kareem definitely presents a good point here, and it’s actually not the first time he has shared his opinion on this issue.
The reason why there will never be a consensus on the GOAT (greatest of all time) is that there are far too many variables at play.
When deciding between LeBron and Michael Jordan, for example, one has to consider their respective eras, their opponents, their teammates, their coaches, and all the things that make their careers unique from each other.
There are certain things that some might hold higher than others, and certain details people might see differently.
The point is, there will never be a true, objective way to determine the best of the best. It doesn’t mean we can’t have fun discussing our own personal opinion, though.
