Even though it’s kind of pointless, plenty of people still engage in the NBA GOAT debate. For some, Michael Jordan is the one, only, and undisputed GOAT. For others, LeBron James is even better.
That back-and-forth has helped a lot of analysts make a living. But in reality, there’s no true way to know who the greatest player of all time is. At the end of the day, it’s all subjective and depending on where you stand.
That’s why, in a recent interview with Marc Stein, Los Angeles Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar shared his thoughts on this pointless debate, stating that people shouldn’t talk about just one GOAT.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Says There’s Not Just One GOAT
(Transcript via Marc Stein)
“GOAT discussions are fun, like debating who’s faster: Superman or the Flash. It’s a metaphysical mystery. The question can never be answered because players from the past were trained under different restrictions and played under different rules.”
“Then you have to ask what to give more weight to: Scoring, defense, assists? All of them? But the stats don’t always reveal the particular conditions and challenges of each season. Way too many variables. How about we just discuss the O’GOAT (One of the Greatest of All-Time)?”
Kareem Wants LeBron James To Break His Record
Notably, LeBron is on pace to break one of Kareem’s most impressive records. The King will most likely pass him as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer (38,387 career points). Even so, Abdul-Jabbar is looking forward to seeing it.
“I’m excited to see it happen. I don’t see records as personal accomplishments, but more as human achievements. If one person can do something that’s never been done, that means we all have a shot at doing it. It’s a source of hope and inspiration. Roger Bannister broke the four-minute mile back in 1954. Since then, not only have 1,400 runners beaten that time, but the new record is 17 seconds less. We all win when a record is broken and if LeBron breaks mine, I will be right there to cheer him on.“
That’s how we all should feel. We’re witnessing history in the making, and this is what sports are all about. It doesn’t matter who the GOAT is or who’s better than any other player. It’s pointless.
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