LeBron James is reportedly considering it a key objective in his career to win an NBA championship with four different teams after joining the 76ers. It apparently impacts his legacy as a basketball player to become the first player to ever do so in NBA history.
However, several members of the NBA media have decided to remind James about how the general public perceives a potential fifth championship with a fourth different team. Among them was ESPN’s NBA insider, Brian Windhorst.
“Do you think one person, who thinks Jordan is ahead of LeBron, would say, ‘Oh, he’s won with four different teams, alright he’s number one’?” said Windhorst in his recent appearance on ESPN’s First Take.
“It’s a fake argument; nobody would ever give him credit for that. We have had eight different champions in the last eight years, and LeBron has been to eight straight finals.”
“Has anybody said, ‘Oh boy, he’s been to eight straight finals; he’s pretty good’? No. No one has said that. Because they’ve already decided. No one’s gonna be swayed. They just want to hear your argument so they can state their argument. That’s why the whole thing is ridiculous,” Windhorst added.
“If they go 82-0 and win the championship, nobody that already believes Jordan is better is going to put LeBron ahead of him. It’s a fake argument; it’s a fake thing and a fake conversation, next topic.”
Windhorst also addressed Charles Barkley’s bold assertion that if James wins two more championships with the 76ers, he will become the undisputed GOAT over Michael Jordan.
“What are we doing here? We’re talking about him winning multiple more titles,” Windhorst said. “What kind of proposterous situation… his legacy is established, it’s set, it’s done.”
“What about three? Why not four, why not five? Why not six? Why not 12? I love Charles; he’s such a value add to the sport. Talking about him adding two titles, it’s I don’t …I hate this about the NBA. I hate this discourse [about titles] so much,” he said.
We do not know for certain if LeBron James, in fact, thinks that this factor would sway the debate in his favor. But NBA fans certainly felt that Windhorst was right as they flooded social media with their takes on the Michael Jordan vs. LeBron James GOAT debate.
“This is 100% facts. The people who have Jordan as the goat ain’t changing their minds, and the same goes for those who have LeBron as the goat. This is why the debate is dumb and played out.”
“Ridiculously true statement.”
“If Jordan decided to go to the Lakers or the Spurs (equivalent to what LeBron is doing) instead of the Wizards, would y’all give Jordan more credit for getting more rings?”
“The only reason Jordan didn’t go to 8 straight finals was cause he decided to retire and play baseball.”
“Conveniently leaving out that the CBA changes have dramatically increased parity, which came after LeBron’s eight straight finals, but whatever.”
Most fans supported Windhorst’s point while others tried to downplay the GOAT debate altogether. And I agree that had Jordan chased rings in his career by joining another team, he would not have earned the same respect as he did for his loyalty to one team.
Do you think winning multiple championships with the 76ers would factor into LeBron James’ GOAT debate against Michael Jordan? Let us know what you think in the comments section.
