Entering his 22nd season in the NBA, LeBron James continues to prove week in and week out that he remains one of the most impactful players in the league. He still delivers outstanding performances with the Los Angeles Lakers, but that doesn’t always seem to be enough to convince his critics. Recently, Gilbert Arenas, a three-time NBA All-Star, weighed in on the constant scrutiny Bron faces.
“When they say, ‘Who is the GOAT?’ You say, ‘Jordan’s the GOAT. Kobe’s No. 2.’ But who is No. 3? LeBron’s No. 3 ‘cause he only won four-five (titles),” Arenas said on his Agent Zero podcast. “Why you doing that? Why is there a negative notion on why he’s three?”
The former Washington Wizards guard then attempted to highlight what he perceives as a special bitterness directed toward James. “I want you to go and ask somebody what is their Top 10. When they get to LeBron James, instead of saying he leads the NBA in points scored, he has four rings… They are not going to do that,” Gilbert remarked. “’He switched to Miami’… it’s like they’re trying to explain to you why he’s not No. 1.”
Arenas also pointed out that this treatment doesn’t happen with other players. “When someone says a Top 10 list, there’s only going to be one player that’s gonna have a negative mark on them. When you talk about (Tim Duncan) being No. 8, he got five championships… there’s no negative on him. Only LeBron is gonna get that,” observed the three-time NBA All-Star.
Gilbert Arenas playing with the Washington Wizards against the Phoenix Suns at US Airways Center on December 19, 2009.
“No. 2 could be No. 1 if he did something, but you didn’t do that to him. No. 4 can be No. 1 if he won all his championships, but you don’t do that to them… There’s no negative notion on the person that’s No. 4,” Gilbert insisted. “LeBron’s No. 3 because he didn’t win this.”
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The main criticism against LeBron
When it comes to the debate over the greatest player of all time in the NBA, LeBron James is always a central figure. However, one of the major points of criticism often raised, particularly in comparison to Michael Jordan, is LeBron’s Finals losses. While Jordan won all six Finals he reached with the Chicago Bulls, claiming Finals MVP honors each time, James has experienced a different fate.
The 40-year-old superstar has four titles, an undeniably impressive achievement, but he has also lost six Finals throughout his career. In his first stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers, he led the team to the 2007 Finals but fell short against the San Antonio Spurs. Then, with the Miami Heat, he won two championships but also lost two Finals—against the Dallas Mavericks in 2011 and again to the Spurs in 2014.
The most memorable Finals, however, came during his second stint with the Cavaliers. Between 2015 and 2018, James and his Cavs faced the Golden State Warriors four times, resulting in three losses and one victory for LeBron. While the disparity in strength between the two teams was clear, the numbers are undeniable, and LeBron’s detractors continue to focus on them.
