‘Who is the GOAT’ is a debate that plagues all sports. No matter what sport one picks, there is rarely a clear candidate who runs away with the title of Greatest of All Time. Basketball is no different. One of the biggest debates that have been going on for nearly a decade is whether LeBron James is the GOAT or whether it is Michael Jordan. Over the years, Shaquille O’Neal has taken various sides on the same.
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Initially, he used to name Michael Jordan as the clear GOAT, but then he changed his stance once LeBron James broke Kareem’s scoring record. Even though he’s currently hospitalized, I guess Shaq is making it clear that this time he’s sticking by what he said.
In case you didn’t get what I was trying to say, he shared a video on his Instagram story which endorses that Bron is the GOAT.
Shaquille O’Neal declares LeBron James as the GOAT
The GOAT debate is a tricky one. There are a lot of factors that account for a player being considered great. While a lot of factors are in the player’s control, there are also factors that aren’t.
In a video shared on Instagram, a person breaks down his Top-10 NBA players. The list was as follows:
- Tim Duncan
- Larry Bird
- Wilt Chamberlain
- Magic Johnson
- Stephen Curry
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
- Shaquille O’Neal
- Kobe Bryant
- Michael Jordan
- LeBron James
View this post on Instagram
Now, Shaq might have shared it because he liked that he was ranked #4. However, sharing something with Bron as #1 clearly shows what Shaq is trying to convey.
Did Shaq just say LeBron is the GOAT over Michael Jordan? pic.twitter.com/hp5uwuQpy4
— Spam (@warriors4ly) March 20, 2023
Bold move big man, bold move.
What are Jordan and LeBron’s views on the GOAT debate?
LeBron James is someone who loves to back himself on any given situation. I mean, look at his LeBron 20s. The outsoles have a goat on them. Even after he eclipsed Kareem’s scoring record, Bron all but named himself the GOAT while talking to Shaq and the TNT crew.
On the other hand, Michael Jordan doesn’t believe in the concept of GOAT. He feels like it should be era-wise. Different eras have different players who were the greatest, and that’s how they should be ranked. Recently, Shaq had shared MJ’s interview regarding the same on his IG story as well.