The 2023-24 NBA season will start soon. But until then, there will be enough time to continue talking about the never-ending GOAT debate. In fact, Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd has recently been asked about this subject.
While many believe no one will ever surpass Michael Jordan, others consider LeBron James as the greatest basketball player of all time. Kidd may not be part of the latter group yet, but he believes that The King will eventually earn that status.
“I think LeBron will go down as the greatest to do it,“ Kidd said in a press conference. At 38, James still has the opportunity to continue writing history in the NBA with the Los Angeles Lakers. The GOAT debate has existed for years and both legends have made a strong case for themselves.
Why many consider LeBron James the GOAT
From the moment he was drafted first overall pick in 2003, the hype around LeBron James has been through the roof. Unlike other rookies who left much to be desired, The King lived up to the expectations.
Not only did he win Rookie of the Year, but James quickly established himself as one of the NBA’s faces. He even took the Cavaliers to their first NBA Finals in 2007, but they were swept by the Spurs. He won back-to-back MVP awards in 2009 and 2010, but he was craving for a championship.
Four rings with three different teams
In the summer of 2010, the entire league kept an eye on James as he became an unrestricted free agent. In a live special by ESPN called “The Decision,” James announced he would join the Miami Heat. By then, he was already the most famous player in the NBA.
After losing to the Mavs in the 2011 NBA Finals, James and company bounced back with consecutive championships. The King won MVP and NBA Finals MVP on both occasions. In the wake of a loss to San Antonio in the 2014 NBA Finals, James decided to return home and deliver the city of Cleveland a long-awaited ring.
In 2016, LeBron helped the Cavs pull off one of the greatest feats in NBA history by coming back from a 3-1 deficit in the Finals against the Warriors. He was recognized with his third NBA Finals MVP award. Two years later, the Ohio native left for the Lakers.
In LA, James put one of the most popular franchises in sports back on their feet and led them to their 17th NBA championship in the 2020 Orlando bubble. It was LeBron’s fourth ring with three different teams, making a strong argument to be considered the GOAT.
Has LeBron already surpassed MJ? Or will he ever overtake the Bulls legend?
Currently the oldest player in the league, James has been an All-Star for 19 straight seasons (2005-2023). Apart from his four rings, he also boasts two Olympic gold medals with Team USA, as well as four MVP and four NBA Finals MVP accolades. On top of that, he surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the leading scorer in NBA history.
Still, many people refuse to call him the GOAT. LeBron has been a polarizing figure: most people either love or hate him, which explains why there’s such a strong resistance to him being called the best player ever.
But the biggest reason for that is the fact that Michael Jordan played before him. What MJ did in the league was unprecedented, winning all six NBA Finals he played in with the Chicago Bulls. In addition, he boasts four Olympic gold medals six NBA Finals MVPs, and five NBA MVPs, among countless accolades.
Jordan’s track record of success is the biggest argument his fans name to explain why he’s still above LeBron. But his impact in the NBA during the 80s and 90s is also seen as a significant factor, as he helped to increase the league’s popularity around the world. MJ became a global icon himself too.
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In the end, everyone will have their own reasons to prefer one or the other. Jordan’s legacy is hard to match, but there’s a reason LeBron is in this conversation. Kidd believes James will eventually win the debate, but we’ll see that when it’s all said and done.