The GOAT debate in the NBA has flared up once again, this time sparked by a comment from Michael Jordan’s former agent, David Falk, and answered with fire by LeBron James’ longtime representative, Rich Paul.
During a recent appearance at the Sports Business Journal conference, Falk reignited the age-old Jordan vs. LeBron argument by saying that Jordan would have won 15 championships if he had “cherry-picked” teams and joined forces with two other superstars the way LeBron has throughout his career.
Falk, who famously guided Jordan’s career during the Chicago Bulls dynasty, placed MJ at the top of his all-time list, with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar or Kobe Bryant second. When asked if LeBron James was in his top ten, Falk nonchalantly responded, “Probably.”
That subtle jab wasn’t lost on Rich Paul, CEO of Klutch Sports and a central figure in shaping LeBron’s off-court empire. Paul quickly addressed the comments during an interview on The Rich Eisen Show, calling Falk’s take “beneath him” and hypocritical.
“The cherry picking terminology of it all, coming from someone who literally had John Thompson, Dean Smith, and Mike Krzyzewski supporting his business, putting superstar athletes in his lap. I think he was part of the cherry clan. I just thought it was very unfair and a little beneath David Falk for a number of reasons.”
“We can’t have revisionist history, and we all want to determine who’s the G.O.A.T and who’s the best and so on and so forth. But I just thought that was a little beneath David to say that.”
“When you look at that, right, again the cherry-pick, I’ve discussed that. The two other superstars – Michael never had to leave Michael’s never been the underdog in any Finals. Not one time.”
“Michael never had a 24-hour, 365 news cycle. He never had shows built strictly to criticize him. People made millions of dollars criticizing LeBron James. That was their entire job. And when you talk about the difficulty of it all, Michael played for Dean Smith, Michael played for Phil Jackson, and Michael had Jerry Krause.”
“I’m the biggest Michael Jordan fan ever, love Michael Jordan, and I don’t think Michael Jordan would’ve used the term ‘cherry-pick,’ so I’m not up here to discredit Michael Jordan. I think Michael Jordan transcended our game to a level that we all benefitted from.”
Indeed, while Jordan stayed with one franchise and was surrounded by Hall of Fame-caliber talent like Scottie Pippen, coached by Phil Jackson, and managed by Jerry Krause, LeBron has had to shape his own legacy on multiple teams.
From dragging an underwhelming Cleveland Cavaliers squad to the 2007 Finals, to forming a superteam in Miami, to delivering a historic title to Cleveland in 2016, LeBron’s path has involved reinvention and risk.
The disagreement highlights a generational divide in how greatness is defined. Jordan is praised for his undefeated Finals record and staying with one team, while LeBron is lauded for adapting across eras, evolving with the league, and maintaining elite performance into his 40s.
In reality, the GOAT conversation may never be settled definitively. Jordan and LeBron dominated in vastly different environments. What is undeniable, however, is that both men fundamentally altered the trajectory of basketball.
Still, Rich Paul’s sharp defense makes one thing clear: LeBron’s legacy is not one to be casually dismissed and certainly not by a man whose clients once benefited from the kind of support systems many modern players had to build for themselves.
