LeBron James Sends Blunt Message About His Place in NBA History

LeBron James solidified himself as one of the greatest basketball players of all time through his 23-year NBA career.

Among countless other NBA records, James is the league’s all-time leading scorer, a four-time NBA champion, four-time MVP and 22-time All-Star.

Fans and analysts will continue to argue over who’s truly the greatest player of all time, but James knows exactly where he stands among the game’s all-time greats.

James was the cover star for Time Magazine’s latest edition recognizing the top-100 most influential people in sports. In his exclusive interview with the publication, the future NBA Hall of Famer responded to a question about the GOAT debate.

"I'm not taking nobody over me," James said. "There's no question. But I think [Michael Jordan] will say the same thing. Rest his soul, Kobe [Bryant] will say the same thing. Magic [Johnson] will say the same thing. [Larry] Bird will say the same thing. [Shaquille O’Neal] could say the same thing. The late great Wilt [Chamberlain]. Kareem [Abdul-Jabbar].

“I don't think none of us are going to take somebody else. If there's a general manager and he's eyeballing all of us on a baseline, with the No. 1 pick, it's gonna be hard not to take me, champ."

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James, 41, just finished his 23rd NBA season - averaging 20.9 points, 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds per game for the Los Angeles Lakers. Despite an injury that kept his All-NBA teammate Luka Doncic off the court, James led the Lakers to the second round of the 2026 NBA playoffs.

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James is a free agent this offseason, leaving his NBA future in uncertainty as he enters Year 24.

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This story was originally published June 9, 2026 at 11:26 AM.