Every NBA fan seems to have a nuanced opinion about which player is the league’s GOAT (Greatest of All Time).
LeBron James or Michael Jordan? Or Kobe Bryant or Kevin Durant? Maybe Bill Russell or Wilt Chamberlain? Magic Johnson or Larry Bird?
The debate has intensified with modern players like Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic being added to the conversation.
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But one of the biggest names in the GOAT debate says he doesn’t pay any attention to it. Appearing Sunday night on the NBA installment of NBC’s “MJ: Insights to Excellence” series, Jordan said the debate “doesn’t exist to me.”
“I’ve never played against Oscar Robertson or Jerry West,” Jordan told host Mike Tirico. “A competitor like me would have loved it. I actually learned from them, and we paved the way for the Kobes and LeBrons. To me, that’s the beauty of the game of basketball, that players after the one before them have further developed the game. But then… don’t use that against the player who actually taught or learned the game.”
“Look, I wanted to play against LeBron and Kobe in their prime….We’ll never know.”
Jordan, who won six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls, ranks fifth on the NBA’s all-time scoring list with 32,292 points. James, a four-time champion with three teams, leads the team with 43,127 points.
Jordan’s remarks are evaluated against his 2009 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame induction speech. Many described it as a bitter attempt by Jordan to settle old scores and make everyone respect his standing among the league’s best players.
He seemed to have mentioned those feelings in his interview with Tirico.
“I have no animosity toward today’s players, but there are certain players I have animosity toward because they have forgotten their contributions to the game of basketball,” Jordan said.
Jordan ended the interview by praising James. He refused to compare his career to James’.
“I think LeBron has had an incredible career and I respect him for what he has accomplished,” Jordan said. “I think not only Kobe, but KD and all the players that played in this era have raised the bar of basketball tremendously. If you try to put one over the other, I don’t agree with that. It doesn’t work.”
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