There are only a handful of players in the history of the NBA to know what it’s like to have been a part of the GOAT conversation. Michael Jordan is widely accepted as the greatest to ever do it, with LeBron James the other name to be thrown into the mix in recent years, but before that, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Russell, and Magic Johnson have all had their names mentioned in that context.
Another member of this most exclusive club is Larry Bird, the Celtics man who had one of the most dominant primes the NBA has ever seen. So when Larry Legend comments on the greats of the game, he knows exactly what he’s talking about. And in 2019, when talking to Marc Spears in an interview, Bird spoke about LeBron and his amazing longevity, explaining how the King is similar to MJ.
“Obviously, LeBron [James]. I can’t compare him to anybody because he’s so great, just like Michael [Jordan] was. They’re very special, and I don’t know how in hell he stays healthy. But that’s probably one of the great qualities of his game, being able to stay healthy playing that many minutes.”
LeBron became the second-highest scorer in NBA history during this regular season, surpassing Karl Malone and finding himself within a very realistic distance of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who has been the league’s all-time leading scorer for a long time. In his 19th year in the league, LeBron averaged 30.3 points per game and almost claimed the NBA’s scoring title.
The 18-time All-Star has been dominant since the moment he stepped into the league and his longevity is now bordering on the absurd. LeBron James’ Finals record may always be held against him, but there is no disputing his greatness. Bird’s method is perhaps the best though, and fans may be better served by not comparing LBJ to other legends and simply enjoying his game while he’s still playing at a high level.
