LeBron James‘ former teammate, Danny Green, was put on the spot when asked to rank James, Kobe Bryant, and Michael Jordan based on their skill. While addressing this question in a recent episode of the “All The Smoke” podcast, Green responded by saying:
“My GOAT is MJ. I think Bron [James] has had the greatest career of all time. I’ll go one and two – MJ and then Bron.”
At this point, Green recalled an interesting story while trying to justify ranking Bryant at three. He said, “It’s tough to put Kob three because, I think, as a young kid, I always liked Mike so much, I thought Kob was just the imitation of Mike.”
“I wouldn’t say I hated on him,” he added. “But I appreciated him more once I got to the league, playing against him. And then seeing years, how many years he’s played, and then after, of seeing how his mind worked, and his footwork, unbelievable.”
“I think he, probably, is the most skilled out of all three. Mike was just – He did one move, you ain’t stopping it. I’m going to keep doing it. I’m going to shoot 60% doing it. I’m going to the free-throw line. Kob is probably the most skilled out of those three.”
Danny Green weighs in on the MJ-Kobe-LeBron conversation. Y'all agree?
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Green’s account of Kobe Bryant aligns with a lot of people’s opinions. Bryant was widely regarded as one of the most skillful players the game had ever seen. As a student of the game with a ruthless obsession with perfecting his craft, the Lakers legend was a savant when it came to pinpointing the finer details of the game. Regardless, he tends to get overlooked in most lists.
The comparisons with Jordan have also been perceived by many since the day he entered the league. Each aspect of Bryant’s game mimicked Jordan’s, down to the iconic habit of sticking his tongue out while playing.
While their career trajectories were different, the Lakers guard secured his place among the greatest of all time, right next to Jordan in many ways. With career averages of 25.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game, he was undoubtedly one of the greatest to ever do it.
Meanwhile, Jordan’s legend took a life of its own. As one of the most successful players in the NBA Finals, the Chicago Bulls icon was the inspiration for an entire generation of young athletes. Having established his legacy during his run in the 90s, he secured GOAT status in the hearts and minds of many.
Comparing the three players is one of the most challenging tasks for anybody. Considering what each player has achieved, it is difficult to place one over the other. Jordan’s dominance and success, Bryant’s mentality and skill, and James’ versatility and longevity all make for very compelling cases in any argument. But the debate continues to build as more people express their opinions on the subject.
