Michael Jordan was a household name when fans talked about the greatest player ever to grace the game of basketball. After MJ’s retirement, the league got Kobe Bryant who was in a class of his own. But how did LeBron James manage to surpass Bryant and be compared to MJ in the G.O.A.T. debate? Well, Shaquille O’Neal highlighted a theory.
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Shaq shared a post on his official Instagram account wherein a female commentator deep-dived into this supposed theory. As per her, Bron’s comparison to MJ was nothing more than a marketing gimmick.
“LeBron’s job was to worry about facing off against Kobe Bryant. The person he was supposed to be trying to get past was Kobe. He wasn’t able to do that. So, there was a marketing campaign and a gimmick surrounding the G.O.A.T…. And we’re gonna skip over this person and create an entire campaign and debate between myself and Michael Jordan.”
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The marketing campaign chipped away some accolades that were previously considered in the G.O.A.T. debate. However, Bron’s marketing campaign not only shelved those accomplishments but also managed to leapfrog Bryant. The female commentator further added,
“I don’t have to win MVPs, I just have to get stats. I don’t have to win rings or these team accomplishments. Even though it is a f**king team sport.”
Hmm, Shaq thinks Kobe is above Bron in the GOAT debate pic.twitter.com/HWgLQ2fciX
— What are (W)NBA Celebs Upto? (@NBACelebsUpdate) September 28, 2024
One of the main things was James donning Jordan’s number. Both players wearing number 23 were bound to create a ruffle among fans and the comparisons started from an early stage.
Shaq and Kobe were teammates during his time with the Lakers. So, it is possible that O’Neal would want to keep Bryant ahead of Bron in the G.O.A.T. conversation.
Shaq even left Bron off his starting five
Shaq has never been one to mince his words. Once, when he was asked to reveal his all-time starting five, The Big Aristotle didn’t think twice before leaving The King off his list. During an interview with German sports outlet Sports Bild, the Lakers legend revealed his playing five.
“Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Dr. J[Julius Erving], Karl Malone and me.”
O’Neal left James off the list even though he shared the court with Bron during his twilight years in the league. Not to mention the stacked resume of The King at the wing position.
Hence, seeing O’Neal push the theory of Bron leapfrogging Kobe in the G.O.A.T. debate makes much more sense now.
