Skip Bayless Leaves LeBron James Out of Top 5 While Naming NBA GOAT

Further explaining his decision Bayless said, “The eight above starting with Jordan are all cold blooded basketball killers that I would trust with games for my life. LeBron James to me has proven to me over many many years to be the most mentally fragile superstar I have ever closely observed. He was born without a clutch gene.”

Back on First Take and Back to LeBron Criticism for Skip Bayless

Skip Bayless’ return to First Take quickly turned into the kind of back-and-forth viewers expected from him and Stephen A. Smith.

The two did not just stay on LeBron. They bounced through several classic debate topics, starting with the Lakers and whether Luka Doncic would actually make them better in the middle of their playoff run. Bayless pushed back on the idea that Luka would fix everything, while Smith challenged him on how much offensive help the Lakers really needed.

The Cowboys also became part of the argument, which was no surprise given Bayless’ long history with the team. Smith brought up Bayless’ viral moment of throwing away his Cowboys gear, using it as another chance to needle him about years of disappointment.

Bayless also managed to take a shot at Paul George with one of his usual over-the-top nicknames, while Smith fired off his own strong criticism of James Harden after another rough playoff showing.

The appearance was basically built around disagreement. Bayless came back with the same aggressive style, Smith pushed back with equal energy, and the topics moved from one hot-button name to another. It was less about analysis and more about two familiar voices trying to win the room with the louder take.