Former New York Knicks star John Starks appeared on the latest episode of the Strong Talk Podcast, where he was inevitably asked who is the GOAT between Michael Jordan and LeBron James. Starks went with Jordan, but later revealed that James isn’t second on his list of the greatest players of all time.
“You talking about LeBron after Michael, I’m putting Kareem [Abdul-Jabbar],” Starks said. “And then Kobe [Bryant], then LeBron.”
That’s an interesting list. Starks only had a top four at first, but then went with Julius Erving at fifth.
“Then I had to put my man Doc in there,” Starks stated. “… When people ask me that, I forget. I always leave Doc out, but I’m like, ‘No, no more.’ Cuz he was just incredible.”
Erving definitely isn’t a name that gets brought up often in the top five. Starks believes he is the most underrated player in NBA history.
“I don’t think they give Dr. J enough credit,” Starks said. “I really don’t. If you watch Dr. J back in the day, oh my god. He’s my guy. He was my favorite player growing up. But, they got to see Dr. J after the ABA. When he came into the league, and when they joined the league in what ’77 somewhere, ’76 somewhere around in there.
“But Dr. J was so special,” Starks continued. “He was the Michael Jordan of the 70s and the early 80s, and he don’t get enough credit. He don’t get talked about in being one of the best players ever… Dr. J carried this league for a long time to help it get to this point until Magic [Johnson] and [Larry] Bird came into the league.”
Erving’s best years coming in the ABA are a big reason why he gets overlooked. He remarkably won three MVPs and three scoring titles in just five seasons there.
Erving then spent 11 seasons in the NBA with the Philadelphia 76ers, during which he won one title and one MVP. He also made 11 All-Star and seven All-NBA teams. It’s a pretty good resume in all.
As for the rest of Starks’ selections, they weren’t all too surprising, but the order was.
Jordan is at the top, and he won six titles, six Finals MVPs, five MVPs, one DPOY, and 10 scoring titles. He is the most popular pick for the GOAT title, and Starks had the fortune/misfortune of going up against him at his absolute best. Jordan is a big reason why the one-time All-Star never won a title.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was next, and Starks believes he is another who doesn’t get enough credit. Abdul-Jabbar won six titles, two Finals MVPs, six MVPs, and two scoring titles. Erving believes he is the greatest player of all time.
Starks then had Kobe Bryant at third, and he’s another former player who has put him ahead of James. Bryant won five titles, two Finals MVPs, one MVP, and two scoring titles. The media and fans tend to have him closer to 10th, but those who have played the game, like Charles Barkley, rank him much higher.
Lastly, we get to James, who has won four titles, four Finals MVPs, four MVPs, one scoring title, and one assists title. He is also the NBA’s all-time leading scorer and is putting together a compelling case for the title of greatest ever. In the eyes of a fair few former players, though, he hasn’t passed Bryant, let alone Jordan.
