Why LeBron James Doesn't Belong in GOAT Debate With Michael Jordan
When it comes to the greatest basketball players of all-time, it’s hard to argue against LeBron James being on a short list of the elite players in NBA history.
Many people place King James at the top of that list, while others contend that the greatest of all time spot belongs to Chicago Bulls legend Michael “Air” Jordan, who won six championships during his superstar career.
A debate has continued to rage about LeBron versus MJ, with many suggesting that the Los Angeles Lakers star took over the top spot due to his record-breaking achievements and impressive longevity in the game.
However, Jordan was just built differently, rarely making mistakes in critical game situations, and, if he somehow did, he found a way to make up for it by taking over and impressively winning the game.
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While appearing on “The Breakfast Club,” Knicks legend John Starks summarized things perfectly. While he thinks LeBron is great, he witnessed Jordan’s abilities up close and would give him the edge as the greatest of all time. He also revealed who he would put in the two-player debate instead of LeBron.
“You had questions about [LeBron], you never had a question about Jordan. If anybody should be considered, it’s Kareem and Jordan; that should be the 2 Goat questions. You never had a question about Mike, nothing I can’t think of, nothing, he just made play after play down the stretch. Guys make mistakes, but he didn’t,” Starks said.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the man that LeBron passed on the league’s all-time points leader list several seasons ago. LeBron continues to surpass Kareem’s records as he keeps playing.
The expectation is that the 41-year-old LeBron will return next season, his 24th, although it’s unclear whether he’ll play for the Lakers or join another NBA team to finish his career.
The major knocks against LeBron continue to be his moving from team to team in pursuit of winning those championships. However, the league has become much more competitive over the years, and the talent has improved significantly.
And he’s definitely among the best all-time, there’s no denying that. He’s the first and only player to have more than 50,000 points combined between regular-season and playoff games. He holds the record with 22 All-Star appearances and 21 All-NBA team selections.
In the playoffs, he is the all-time leader in games played, points, wins, field goals, steals, and minutes. Oh, and he’s also a four-time NBA champion and four-time NBA MVP, among numerous other records and achievements.
That said, LeBron hasn’t achieved two three-peats in his career and hasn’t shown the killer instinct in games or the level of efficiency in winning that the legendary Michael Jordan has.
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This story was originally published May 22, 2026 at 7:57 PM.