Paul Finebaum Has Clear Choice Between Michael Jordan and LeBron James

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jaron Spor | Last updated Feb 27, 2025 9:06 AM ET

The "Greatest of All-Time" or G.O.A.T. debates are among the most passionate discussions among sports fans. In the NBA, this debate is particularly heated, with people like Skip Bayless, Stephen A. Smith, Shannon Sharpe, Nick Wright and even your next-door neighbor almost all having an opinion.

The conversation primarily revolves around Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James and former Chicago Bulls star Michael Jordan. James has had an impressive 22-year career, scoring a record 41,759 points—the most in NBA history—along with 11,463 assists (fourth all-time) and 11,592 rebounds. He has won four NBA championships, been selected as an All-Star 21 times, named to the All-NBA team 20 times and earned four MVP awards.

In contrast, Jordan had a shorter career, playing 15 seasons, but he was extraordinary during that time. He scored 32,292 points, ranking fifth all-time, recorded 5,633 assists and 6,672 rebounds. Jordan won six NBA championships, was a 14-time All-Star, an 11-time All-NBA selection and earned five MVP awards.

A caller on "The Paul Finebaum Show" asked the usual college football expert for his thoughts on the G.O.A.T. debate. Finebaum stated that while he believes James is great, he does not consider him to be on the same level as Jordan.

"I think LeBron is great, but he's not Michael Jordan," Finebaum said. "How about in any facet. Michael Jordan to me is the greatest competitor of all-time."

Finebaum expressed his belief that the debate between James and Jordan regarding who is the greatest player of all time is "already settled," although he acknowledged that he is not an expert on the NBA. Finebaum pointed out that Jordan has six championships compared to James' four, emphasizing that this difference "matters."

While it seems the G.O.A.T. debate will continue as James continues his remarkable career, Finebaum has stepped beyond his usual focus on college football and the SEC to assert that no one is like the original number 23, Michael Jordan.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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