For years, Dwyane Wade had been on Team Michael Jordan in the GOAT debate, despite playing alongside and being good friends with LeBron James. Well, Wade’s stance has somewhat changed now, and he shared his new take on the debate on Time Out with Dwyane Wade.
“Michael Jordan is my basketball GOAT,” Wade said. “My personal. For all the reasons that he should be. But I do have a new answer of the way I’m going to start answering the question when people ask me. I’m going to say Michael Jordan is the greatest player I’ve ever watched. He is the greatest player I’ve ever watched.
“LeBron James is the greatest player I’ve ever seen,” Wade stated. “… It clicked to me one night, and I was like, ‘I never saw Michael Jordan. I watched Michael Jordan.’ I saw and I’ve seen LeBron James up close and person. I played against and I played with. I personally have not seen a greater basketball player, but I’ve watched a great basketball player.
“And so to me, it’s just a difference,” Wade continued. “And the GOAT debate will forever be a debate. It’s not going anywhere. But when I’m asked a question as someone who’s played with this man, who spent time with this man, and played against this man.
“Yeah, I’ve watched Jordan’s greatness,” Wade added. “I still watch it. I go on YouTube right now like I’ve never seen it before, but I’ve never seen Jordan’s greatness up close. I’ve actually seen LeBron’s.”
Wade played alongside James on the Miami Heat from 2010 to 2014 and on the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2017-18 season. He saw his good friend’s greatness first-hand and doesn’t believe he came across a better player than him during his career.
James has won four titles (two with Wade in 2012 and 2013), four Finals MVPs, four MVPs, a scoring title, and an assists title. The 40-year-old is also blowing everyone out of the water when it comes to longevity.
James is the NBA’s all-time leading scorer and has made 21 All-Star, 21 All-NBA, and six All-Defensive teams. The Los Angeles Lakers superstar made history on Tuesday by becoming the first player ever to play 23 seasons in the NBA, and you reckon he has gas left in the tank to hang around a bit longer.
A career that impressive has led many to believe James is the GOAT, but Jordan remains the more popular pick. He won six titles, six Finals MVPs, five MVPs, a DPOY, and 10 scoring titles in his storied career.
Wade, who was born and raised in Illinois, grew up watching Jordan dominate the NBA in the 1990s with the Chicago Bulls. He led the Bulls to three-peats from 1991 to 1993 and from 1996 to 1998, and never lost in the Finals.
Wade idolized Jordan as a result, and he was even one of the players he modeled his game after. So, the Bulls icon will likely forever be the best player he’s ever watched.
As for what the two men at the center of this debate think about the subject, they have gone in opposite directions. Jordan has stated there cannot be a GOAT, as players of different eras can’t be compared. James, meanwhile, believes he is the greatest basketball player ever.
