Philadelphia 76ers legend Allen Iverson stirred the GOAT conversation pot again, claiming that Michael Jordan is the GOAT and Kobe Bryant is right behind him. Meanwhile, mainstream NBA commentator Stephen A. Smith showcased disagreements with AI. The ESPN analyst who always backs MJ as the GOAT, believes, LeBron James is the only one second to Air Jordan.
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The host of First Take declared, “Kobe Bryant is not the just second-greatest player of all time.” Stephen A. Smith used stats and durability as the metric to cement LeBron’s claim as the number two player of all time. He acknowledged that at the moment, LeBron is a ring behind Bryant. However, he pointed out that Kobe’s first three rings came when he played with prime Shaquille O’Neal who is “one of the two most dominant players of all time.”
Kobe Bryant is not the number two player all-time, A.I. pic.twitter.com/LAM5s7Ztw5
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) January 3, 2024
The unfiltered personality did call The Black Mamba the second-best SG of all time behind MJ. However, at the same time, he highlighted that the former Lakers guard may not even be the best Laker of all time, since Magic Johnson can be called the Lakers’ GOAT.
To add to the debate, Patrick Beverley’s comments on the JJ Redick‘s Podcast in 2020 about the GOAT debate are now making the rounds on X. He doesn’t see the GOAT debate in terms of stats and durability. For the 76ers guard, it is about the impact one has had on the game, and for him, Mamba was a “game-changer”.
“When it comes to drive, determination, working on your craft, right? After Michael Jordan, who was it? But no one likes to say it for some reason. Kobe taught people how to work hard, he taught you [JJ Redick] how to work hard. He gave you the blueprint of what you should do to be a successful basketball player and work hard,” argued Pat Bev in a conversation with JJ Redick,
Patrick Beverly, when asked by JJ Redick if he thought Kobe Bryant belonged in the GOAT conversation:
“Yes, game-changer. When it comes to drive and determination, after M.J., who was it? But no one likes to say it for some reason. Kobe taught people how to work hard. He gave… pic.twitter.com/FUUqS6aOq9
— NBAinthezone™️ (@NBAinthezone) January 11, 2024
These words by the lockdown defender resonate with many current and former NBA players. That said, the consensus that LeBron James is the second on the GOAT list is unlikely to change at this point, as the Lakers star has practically established himself in that position by now. That said, it is not something that has stopped Shaquille O’Neal from campaigning for Kobe.
Shaquille O’Neal wants Kobe Bryant to be valued more
A few days ago, during his appearance on The Stephen A. Smith Show, Shaquille O’Neal called out the host for leaving out his buddy. Shaq stated, “Doesn’t matter who the GOAT is, my guy(Kobe Bryant) should be in the conversation.” The former Lakers Center expresses his disdain at how the ESPN analyst overlooked his former partner-in-crime during the GOAT debate.
“Somehow it just went from Mike to LeBron and you[Stephen A. Smith] just threw my guy [Kobe] out of the conversation. His name needs to be there all the time. And when his name is not there, that’s when people have a problem”, lamented Shaq.
In the age of social media, the GOAT conversation is now in an infinite loop. For some, it is about stats. For others, only the rings coupled with the impact the player had on the rings matter. Many discuss the influence the player exerted on the game. With such varied vantage points, the input from NBA players, fans, and analysts alike will continue to boast their own narratives without a unanimous solution.
