The NBA GOAT debate has evolved a lot over the decades but one man has dominated the conversation for years now: Bulls star Michael Jordan. In the latest player poll from HoopsHype, Jordan was still the top vote-getter over any other star with 49% of the vote compared to LeBron James (37%) and Kobe Bryant (9%).
The NBA GOAT debate will never end, and LeBron James has closed the gap far more than many expected. However, even after 20+ years in the NBA, the players are not convinced that he is the greatest layer ever, as evidenced by the most recent player poll. After winning The Athletic’s player poll last week, the results for this one were unsurprising, but they did reveal some interesting information about how today’s players, both domestic and international, approach the GOAT debate.
“For me, it’s Jordan because I wasn’t born at the time, but I started watching the NBA because of Jordan,” said Brazilian Warriors rookie Gui Santos HoopsHype. “The music and highlights from his album ‘I Believe I Can Fly’ (Space Jam). I was watching that… because of how he changed the game, the Olympics in 1992, he introduced the NBA to the rest of the world.”
Some players mentioned other legends such as Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant, and Bill Russell, but only Bryant, James, and Jordan received at least 9% of the vote. While American players were almost evenly split between James and Jordan, the poll shows that Jordan has significantly more support among international players. The same trend was observed among older players, with the poll revealing a strong bias toward Michael among players born before 1995. Interestingly, players with higher salaries voted much more frequently for Michael, implying that the NBA’s top stars have a greater appreciation for Jordan and his legendary celebrity status.
Perhaps the most damning evidence against LeBron’s GOAT case is the voting by his former teammates. Only half of the players who once shared the court with the King voted for him as the greatest of all time in his poll, dealing a blow to his argument against Michael.
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Will LeBron James Ever Catch Michael Jordan?
Whatever your thoughts on LeBron are, his status as one of the All-Time greats is undeniable given everything he’s accomplished. He has been a 20x All-Star, 19x All-NBA, 4x MVP, 4x champion, and 6x All-Defensive player in his two-decade career. He has averaged 27.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 8.3 assists per game while playing for the Cavaliers, Heat, and Lakers, shooting 54% overall. He is also the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, having scored 40,474 points during his career.
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At this point, it’s safe to say that LeBron James is the only other player with a legitimate case for the GOAT, and he’s the first player since Kobe Bryant to challenge Michael Jordan’s status as the greatest of all time. Finally, as impressive as LeBron’s resume is, it isn’t enough to give him the advantage in most people’s eyes. Michael’s accomplishments as a six-time champion, five-time MVP, ten-time scoring leader, fourteen-time All-Star, and eleven-time All-NBA player are unparalleled, and they contribute to his legacy remaining intact after more than two decades in retirement.
To close the gap and permanently surpass the Bulls legend, LeBron will need to win another championship with the Lakers. Being down 3-1 to the Denver Nuggets makes it unlikely that he’ll advance this season, but he still has time to build his GOAT case.