ESPN ranks Jordan over LeBron in greatest NBA players list

Michael Jordan topped LeBron James in the greatest player department, according to ESPN. Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

ESPN ranks Michael Jordan over LeBron James in greatest NBA players list

By Zac Wassink | Last updated May 13, 2020 2:17 PM ET

The argument is over. All discussions regarding the NBA's greatest G.O.A.T. are to cease and desist immediately. While we're at it, Association followers can sculpt the Mount Rushmore of the best players to ever dribble a basketball.

At least, that's all according to ESPN.

In one of the least surprising sports developments since the coronavirus pandemic shut leagues down in March, the Worldwide Leader named Michael Jordan the greatest NBA player of all time.

Only His Airness sits above LeBron James, as the three-time champion checked in at No. 2.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the man with more points than any player in history, is No. 3. Bill Russell, who won a record 11 championships as a player, and Magic Johnson finish out the top five.

Not mad yet? Let's see if we can change that.

Wilt Chamberlain, Larry Bird and Tim Duncan follow in the ESPN all-time NBA power rankings. Former Los Angeles Lakers teammates Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal fill spots No. 9 and No. 10.

One probably doesn't have to guess that NBA Twitter had takes regarding the list:

MJ and it isn’t even close pic.twitter.com/yU3XFxc07X
— Dr. Guru (@DrGuru23) May 13, 2020

ESPN has always hated on Kobe.. smh pic.twitter.com/XxC9muvDOQ
— LakeShowYo (@LakeShowYo) May 13, 2020

LeBron ranked 2nd all time and Shaq TENTH and Kobe NINTH??? That’s just wrong. Next on @undisputed
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) May 13, 2020

I've stayed out of the wars of the last few weeks cause it's profoundly boring. My take is that as long as you have MJ, Bron and Kareem as 1 a, b, c you're doing alright.

Order from there likely has to do with preference and what you value.
— (@Cavsanada) May 13, 2020

Bill Russell is the fourth best CENTER of all time. Not even the best of his generation. https://t.co/ArvFpdVfnZ
— Nick Kuzma (@NickPKuzma) May 13, 2020

We remind you that we had nothing to do with these rankings and, thus, direct you to retort to those responsible.

Zac Wassink

Zac Wassink is a longtime sports news writer and PFWA member who began his career in 2006 and has had his work featured on Yardbarker, MSN, Yahoo Sports and Bleacher Report. He is also a football and futbol aficionado who is probably yelling about Tottenham Hotspur at the moment and who chanted for Matt Harvey to start the ninth inning of Game 5 of the 2015 World Series at Citi Field. You can find him on X at @ZacWassink

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