Charles Barkley has never been shy about sharing his opinions about LeBron James, and his latest comments once again sparked debates on the NBA’s Greatest of All Time.
Appearing on The Stephen A. Smith Show, the Hall of Famer ranked LeBron as the third-best player he has ever seen, behind Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.
“I’ve always told people LeBron is the third-best player I’ve ever seen, behind Michael and Kobe. You know, when you’re dealing with LeBron and his Stepford wives, if you don’t say he’s the greatest, it’s like blasphemy. They’re like Stepford Wives. You have to say he’s the greatest. He can’t be the second. He can’t be the third. That’s why I call them Stepford Wives; even the men are Stepford Wives.”
“So, listen, LeBron’s great, but like I say, my criticism is, I’m like, ‘Yo, man, he always makes sure he has the best players.’ And one of the reasons I always give Michael the advantage is, Michael got his head beat in by the Pistons and the Celtics before he finally said, ‘No, I’m gonna get bigger, stronger, faster.'”
“I’m talking about when I watch basketball, and the only difference is Michael and Kobe aren’t nice guys. They’ll kill your a**. Stephen A., LeBron’s a nice guy. That’s the difference. And the one thing we all want in sports is killers. Michael and Kobe are bona fide killers.”
“LeBron is a great, great all-time great, but he’s a nice guy. And hey, have you ever said in your wildest dreams, Stephen A., ‘Man, Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant are nice guys?’ That’s something you ain’t never said. Hey, man, I love LeBron. I ain’t never gonna say anything bad about LeBron. But LeBron’s a nice guy. He a nice man. Kobe and Michael? Ain’t nobody ever said, ‘Man, what nice guys Kobe and Michael Jordan were.’ Them boys are killers, man. Plain and simple.”
The comments come at a rather interesting time.
LeBron recently shocked the NBA world by leaving the Los Angeles Lakers and signing with the Philadelphia 76ers, who already have Joel Embiid, Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. This puts the Sixers among the top championship contenders, but it also started criticism that LeBron has sought out star-studded rosters throughout his NBA career.
Chuck has been one of the biggest voices making that argument.
Before LeBron made his decision, Barkley publicly said that either joining the Warriors or the Sixers would be cheating. After LeBron ultimately made the move, Barkley admitted that he wasn’t a fan of the decision, but said that LeBron still has a chance of adding to his legacy by winning another title.
His latest ranking also adds to the theme about Barkley being very inconsistent when listing his all-time greats.
Just recently, Chuck had ranked LeBron seventh on his all-time list. He had even left LeBron and Kobe outside his top five in another ranking and even excluded James from his NBA Mount Rushmore.
Now Barkley has ranked LeBron third, and that will add more fuel to the debate.
Whether fans agree with Barkley’s rankings or not, his comments won’t end the GOAT debate anytime soon.
For many, LeBron’s longevity and record-breaking accomplishments make him the greatest player ever. Others choose Jordan’s perfect 6-0 Finals record or Kobe’s unmatched mentality.
But Barkley has made his position clear once again. LeBron James belongs on the all-time legends list, but in Barkley’s eyes, it’s behind Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.
