The debate regarding who is better between LeBron James and Michael Jordan is never-ending. Everyone seems to have his or her own opinion on who the GOAT is.
Dwyane Wade has offered his thoughts on who the NBA’s GOAT is, as have Shawn Kemp, former President Donald Trump, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Hakeem Olajuwon.
Heck, even Jordan himself has weighed in.
Despite all those opinions, a consensus has yet to be reached.
In a recent conversation with Mike Trudell of Lakers.com, James got brutally honest about the GOAT debate to which he is constantly subjected.
“It can be exhausting, you said it, but I’ve always looked at it like any time you’re compared or you’re even mentioned with the greats to ever play this game, it’s become humbling for me, because the same people they put me in the category with … are the same guys that I looked up to for inspiration when I was growing up,” he said.
“And I needed that inspiration growing up in the inner city here in Akron, Ohio. So to have the Michael Jordans, the Kobe Bryants, the Ken Griffey Jrs., the Deion Sanders, all those unbelievable sports figures when I needed it, they helped me. So it’s like, ‘Wow, you guys are comparing me to these greatest players that I’ve ever seen when I was growing up. It’s humbling, man.”
Essentially, James is saying that although the GOAT chatter is exhausting, he sees it for what it is – a compliment.
At the end of the day, everyone will have his or her own beliefs on where James stacks up against Jordan, but that doesn’t mean everyone can’t also sit back and appreciate the greatness that’s constantly on display whenever James takes the floor. Strong opinions are fine, but don’t let them take away from your ability to appreciate a generational talent.
Plus, if the Lakers ultimately complete the blockbuster trade to which they’ve been closely linked over the past few days, James might end up catching Jordan in titles before it’s all said and done.
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