LeBron James is widely viewed as the greatest small forward of all time. He was extremely dominant during his prime, and based on what he's done, many people view him as the GOAT of basketball.
While there are definitely a lot of people who think that LeBron James is the greatest player ever, the majority definitely considers Michael Jordan as the GOAT. NBA analyst Kevin Wildes once pointed out that a whole Hall of Fame career separates LeBron James and Michael Jordan. (0:25)
Here's my biggest thing. I'm going to invent a player here: guy w/ 2 titles, 2 Finals MVP, league MVP, 3 All-Defense teams, a DPOY and 9 scoring titles. Do you think that player is one of the best players of all-time? Definitely a Hall of Famer if you had that resume. That's the difference between LeBron and Michael Jordan. It's like "oh it's close", it's not. It's a full Hall of Fame career better... All those accolades are a full Hall of Fame player better... I still think he's No. 2...
There's no doubt that Michael Jordan had the greatest peak in the game, and during his prime he was unbeatable. He three-peated twice, and there's no doubt that it will be hard for any player, whether past or present to surpass him.
With that being said, LeBron James has had a stellar career himself. He has made more Finals than Michael Jordan, often being able to carry subpar squads to the highest stage with his own ability. His longevity is also insane, as he is still a top-tier player, even right now.
The GOAT debate will be something that will rage on for quite some time. Perhaps one day there will be a player that will be viewed as a consensus GOAT over LeBron James and Michael Jordan, but most people would agree that that player does not currently exist.
More must-reads: