There’s no denying Kareem Abdul–Jabbar’s status as one of the all-time greats, not just for the Los Angeles Lakers but in NBA history. From his dominance in high school to an illustrious professional career, Abdul-Jabbar built a resume few could rival. Yet, when it comes to the GOAT debate, his name is frequently overshadowed. Mychal Thompson, a two-time NBA champion, recently shared his thoughts on why this happens.
Appearing on “Run it Back,” Thompson explained that Abdul-Jabbar is overlooked because today’s fans didn’t watch him play and often aren’t familiar with his legendary achievements. He also noted that many fans’ NBA memories start with Michael Jordan’s era.
“Youngsters think that the NBA started when Michael Jordan joined the league,” Thompson said. “To me, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the greatest player ever. He’s the greatest high school player ever. He is the best college player ever, by far. And when you look at his resume in the NBA—six MVPs, five Finals MVPs—to me, he’s just the greatest ever”.
Thompson, a former teammate of Abdul-Jabbar, pointed out that as time passes, fewer contemporaries from Kareem’s era are around to defend his place in the GOAT conversation. “I guess we’re aging out. A bunch of us old-timers are dying off, so there’s not many of us left to really defend or speak up for Kareem and Wilt,” Thompson added.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar of the Los Angeles Lakers takes a shot during a game. (Rick Stewart /Getty Images)
A generational problem
Thompson, who is also the father of Warriors star Klay Thompson, believes Abdul-Jabbar’s exclusion from GOAT debates is a generational issue. According to him, many modern commentators and fans focus only on the stars they grew up watching, forgetting the rich history of the game.
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“And you got all these young… everybody’s got a podcast now, and everybody’s a talking head, and everybody seems to be in their 20s, 30s, and 40s,” Thompson said. “They just remember Michael Jordan and LeBron and forget that basketball was played long before those guys came into the league”.
Thompson also emphasized Bill Russell’s incredible legacy, highlighting his unmatched championship success. “And even Bill Russell. Why isn’t Bill Russell ever mentioned? Only 11 championships in 13 years. Do you think anybody’s going to approach that? No,” he added.
The cycle of generational forgetting
This generational divide isn’t new. Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade shared a similar sentiment back in 2022 during an episode of the “Armchair Expert” podcast. Wade predicted that future generations will forget Michael Jordan and LeBron James, just as today’s fans often overlook Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
“We’re not gonna be the ones having a conversation about the GOATs,” Wade said. “I watch players play today and, like, I thought I was good … but they’re way better than me. The game continues to keep moving forward, and so we’re going to continue to see things we’ve never seen before. And the eyes are gonna get younger and younger… And they’re gonna forget about Jordan like we forget about Kareem”.
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