Stephen A. Smith is one of the most entertaining analysts out there, starring in controversial and also informative moments during his career, becoming one of the top-paid people in his profession right now.
The ESPN talent is now living his best life, trying to get the ratings for the giant multimedia company, and whether fans love him or hate him, he’s doing a great job at exactly that. Stephen A. might have controversial opinions on NBA-related matters, but when it comes to the GOAT debate, he’s ready to defend Michael Jordan.
It’s become normal to see Stephen A. defending MJ against anything and anybody, and now that LeBron has surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the top scorer in NBA history, nothing has changed for the First Take host.
Stephen A. Smith Highlights A Big Difference Between Michael Jordan And LeBron James
During a recent interview with Full Send Podcast, Smith talked about the GOAT debate once again, explaining why LeBron James won’t ever be the greatest of all time in his eyes, although he’s No. 2 on his personal list. Smith states that during LeBron’s early years, he lacked the killing mentality that MJ had during his entire career, which gives His Airness the nod on this one.
Moreover, he explained a big difference between the two legends, saying that while LeBron is respected by everybody, Jordan inflicted fear in his rivals, and that’s something you don’t see anymore in the league (6:50 mark).
“When you see stuff up close, and when you talk to the players, it’s a different animal. And listen, everybody universally respects LeBron. One of the greatest ever. They feared Jordan, bro. Feared. They were scared. And then when you think about it, throughout LeBron’s tenure, there has always been a debate as to who was his peer. Was it Kobe? Or was it Kevin Durant? I think he eclipsed them, he answered the call, but there was always the question. Tell me one time in MJ’s career when it was even a question.”
Stephen A. is totally different when he’s doing these interviews compared to the character he shows during weekdays on ESPN, and when he speaks about these things outside of his studio, things make a lot more sense.
It’s pretty clear that many will continue picking LeBron as the GOAT, but for Smith, Michael Jordan can’t be touched, no matter how many more accolades LeBron collects until the end of his career.
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