Horace Grant was a standout NBA player from the late 1980s through the early 2000s. He shined for years with the Chicago Bulls—winning three titles—and later earned a fourth championship with the Los Angeles Lakers. With that experience behind him, the former forward named his pick for the greatest basketball player ever.
“Michael is the best player I’ve ever seen or ever played against,” Grant said about Jordan during a 2013 interview with the Chicago Tribune, praising his Bulls teammate from 1987 to 1994. “You can’t compare anybody to Michael.”
The comment came after Horace was asked about Scottie Pippen’s suggestion that LeBron James could be compared to MJ. “Scottie was really drinking that day when he said that,” the power forward said.
At the time, James was starring for the Miami Heat, and several other big names—like Kobe Bryant—were still active in the league. “You can’t compare eras. The rules have changed so much from our days. It was more physical back then,” the former forward explained. “Today you can run around without getting touched. Today, Michael Jordan would average about 45 points.”
Still, Grant made sure to acknowledge the talent of other stars from that era. “Not taking anything away from Kobe or LeBron or Carmelo (Anthony) or even D-Rose, but wait until those guys get through playing. Then you can say compare the two careers.”
Horace Grant changes his stance on LeBron
More than a decade after those remarks, Horace Grant revisited the GOAT debate during a 2024 interview with the Courier Mail—this time placing LeBron James in a different light. “Absolutely, LeBron should be in the conversation,” he said.
He went on to emphasize just how impressive James’ longevity is. “I’ve always said Michael is the best player, but as you get older you keep looking at LeBron at 39 and doing all of this. Scoring, rebounding, assists, and Finals…”
Grant also reflected on how James’ current level compares to his own experience near the end of his career. “LeBron’s longevity at 39 and still playing at a top level is remarkable,” he said. “I remember when I was the same age and I could barely get up and down the court, let alone dunking.”
Grant’s complicated relationship with Jordan
Horace Grant spent the first seven years of his NBA career alongside Michael Jordan. After being selected 10th overall in the 1987 Draft, Grant joined the Chicago Bulls with Scottie Pippen, and both became key contributors to the team that won three consecutive championships from 1991 to 1993.
However, Grant’s experience with MJ wasn’t always smooth. In a 2020 appearance on The Facility, former NFL player Shannon Sharpe shared a story from Grant about a tense incident with Jordan on a team flight.
“The flight attendant, they’re serving the team, and he (Jordan) touched the flight attendant and said, ‘He doesn’t eat ’cause he played like poop,’” Sharpe recalled. “Ho stood up and said, ‘(Expletive) you, Mike!’ and went back to confront Mike, when a teammate told him it’s not worth it.”
According to Sharpe, Grant claimed these clashes weren’t rare. “There have been several times he and MJ almost came to blows. Horace told me it started from the day he got there… He told me this is the way Mike was, ‘If you did not confront Mike, he would ride you every day, all day, all the time.’”
The impressive career of Horace Grant
After helping the Bulls win three straight championships under Phil Jackson, Horace Grant left Chicago in free agency and joined the Orlando Magic, where he played alongside Shaquille O’Neal and Penny Hardaway. That team reached the 1995 NBA Finals but was swept by the Houston Rockets.
Following a brief stint with the Seattle SuperSonics, Grant joined the Lakers in 2000, reuniting with Phil Jackson. They found success once again, winning the 2001 NBA championship. Grant later returned to Orlando before finishing his career with the Lakers in 2004, after losing in the NBA Finals to the Detroit Pistons.
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