California Governor Gavin Newsom surprised a lot of fans when he picked LeBron James over Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant during an appearance on All The Smoke. It was one of those moments when a politician spoke about basketball with a pure heart, and Newsom didn’t hide the fact that he picked LeBron for more than basketball reasons.
When asked to rank the three legends, Newsom didn’t hesitate to explain why LeBron tops his list.
“Just have so much mad respect for LeBron, man. I love the beauty of MJ man, the grace. LeBron just to me represents something else, just a mindset, this sustainable values. What he’s done off the court, how he comports himself, that matters to me.”
“What he represents his kids to his best friends, man, being with them, they’re still with him, says something about his character. I’ve seen him at his low moments, his high moments. I just think he’s a special dude. And I thought, you know what, the hell, he’s gonna retire.”
“We have one more season with that little ad campaign, and this son of a b***h, this could be around for another three, four, five years, that’s amazing. So there, MJ, sorry, Kobe, no disrespect, that’s my list.”
The moment Newsom pointed out was when fans thought LeBron might announce his retirement, which came during the now-infamous Hennessy ad campaign. LeBron teased it as ‘The Second Decision,’ which sent the NBA world into a frenzy. Rumors ran wild that he would walk retired from the game after this season, and the ticket prices for the last Lakers home game spiked five times.
When it turned out to be a Hennessy commercial, he faced a wave of criticism from fans and media. People felt misled, and the reaction was loud enough to dominate the conversation for days. He even faced a lawsuit from a fan who bought tickets at an increased price.
Newsom, however, looked past the controversy and focused instead on what the moment revealed: fans fear losing LeBron because of what he means to basketball.
For Newsom, LeBron’s influence off the court is as powerful as his impact on it. The school he built in Akron, the voting initiatives, the way he uses his voice, these are the qualities Newsom said elevate LeBron in his eyes. That is where he separates LeBron from Jordan and Kobe. Jordan is the purest icon of dominance. Kobe is the standard for obsessive competitiveness and skill refinement. But LeBron blends greatness with service in a way Newsom believes will echo long after he retires.
Ranking legends will always trigger debate, and Newsom’s list is sure to annoy traditionalists. Yet his explanation was thoughtful. He wasn’t comparing championships or scoring titles. He was comparing values, character, and the bigger picture of legacy. For him, LeBron comes first because he has built something that goes far beyond basketball.
