The GOAT debate has been a massive talking point among NBA fans over the years. Currently, there are two players who are constantly pitted against each other in that debate; Michael Jordan and LeBron James. Fans and analysts are constantly arguing about which player is the greatest ever. But one NBA legend feels that this debate is just unnecessary.
In a recent interview with Renee Pacquette, Charles Barkley spoke about the GOAT debate. He believes that it is a lazy debate designed to garner a reaction from fans, especially by the media. He then stated that the two are different players from different eras. So trying to compare them is really not possible, and is just a lazy debate (0:14 mark).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzsyWK00tC4
“I think it’s lazy. Michael has been retired for a 100 years. And why are we trying to worry about him against a guy today?… A lot of these guys do radio. As a friend of mine said who is a famous radio guy, he says ‘Charles, my only job is to get these to fools to call in in order to fill four hours every day. That’s my job. That’s the way this business works. I got to be on the radio for four hours every day. I just kind of come up with a subject that these fools gonna argue with me for four hours and it’s very interesting. You know you’re gonna get the old people calling in to defend Michael, you’re gonna get all the young kids calling in to defend LeBron or throw some Kobe in there, some of the older people are gonna throw Kareem in there. But I just think it’s lazy. Michael was the greatest I played against, I got a lot of love and respect for LeBron, he’s a great great player and an amazing man… I just think it’s a lazy debate. It’s just lazy. The guys didn’t play against each other. It’s totally different now.”
Clearly, Barkley doesn’t like the way the media uses this debate to garner interest, viewership, and fan interaction. This wasn’t the only thing Barkley addressed during the interview. He also spoke about how players only confront him when he criticizes them, but never when he speaks kindly about them.
Barkley has been vocal in the past about how he thinks Michael Jordan is the greatest of all time. But he has been very complimentary of LeBron James, as a player, and as a human being. While Barkley has his opinion, he doesn’t really care about this entire debate.
