Every week, analysts on major sports networks debate whether LeBron James or Michael Jordan is the greatest NBA player of all time. It usually happens after James has an incredible outing and breaks a record, or when the Los Angeles Lakers suffer a bad loss. Following the same theme, Fox Sports analyst Nick Wright recently spoke about his displeasure at fans using Jordan’s peak to put down the King. On his show ‘What’s Wright?‘ the analyst said,
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“What is peak? Are we talking one season? Because there is no single season Michael Jordan had better than LeBron James’ 2013 season. It doesn’t exist. In 2013, for LeBron James, he was the league MVP, he was the Finals MVP. He had a damn near perfect Game 6 of the Finals down 3-2, and a perfect Game 7 of the Finals, 32 (points), seven (assists), and 12 (rebounds), and the game-winning jump shot over Kawhi Leonard… And he was three votes away from winning the Defensive Player of the Year. Find the Jordan season better than that. You can’t.”
Wright then argued that James had a better one-, two-, four- and five-year stretch during his career than Jordan ever did. He did also give Jordan some credit, saying that the Bulls icon had two better three-year stretches between 1991 to 1993 and 1996 to 1998 than any three-year window of the Lakers superstar’s career. However, following this, Wright claimed Jordan devotees’ argument that a player’s peak is a bigger telling factor than longevity was facetious and construed only to discredit James.
Fans on X [Formerly called Twitter] did not argue with the analyst’s assessment. One fan questioned James’ failure to win a three-peat, let alone two like Jordan.
Another argued Jordan’s nine-year stretch between 1984 and 1993, where he won the Rookie of the Year, All-Star Game MVP, seven scoring titles, Defensive Player of the Year, three NBA MVP awards, three NBA titles, and three NBA Finals MVPs was better than any stretch of James’ illustrious career.
One fan opined that James’ devotees put forth the peak argument to counter it and elevate the Lakers superstar’s legacy.
Another fan reminded Wright that Jordan won six titles and six Finals MVPs in eight seasons in the 1990s, an unprecedented accomplishment.
Unsurprisingly, Wright’s passionate argument did not sway any minds. Jordan and James’ devotees stayed in their respective camps and continued to argue in favor of their GOAT. However, to be fair to Wright, fans in both camps have stood strong on their opinion for years now, so it is unlikely anybody could have really changed their minds.
LeBron James furthers GOAT argument with latest accomplishment
Last week, LeBron James became the first player to surpass 40,000 points, adding another feather to his cap. He is already the NBA’s all-time leading points scorer but shows no signs of slowing down as he continues to rack up stats.
James is in his 21st season and is still playing at an All-NBA level. Former players who’ve reached two decades in the NBA haven’t performed anywhere near the level the Lakers superstar is.
Nick Wright’s claim about longevity being a critical factor in the GOAT debate is spot on and his argument about peaks also has merit. James and Jordan’s advocates in the GOAT debate shift goalposts based on the argument that suits their candidate better. While the Lakers superstar’s longevity is unprecedented, Jordan’s two three-peats and six Finals MVPs have yet to be emulated.
However, both sides stick to their claims and refuse to budge regardless of the counterpoints, rendering the debate futile and frustrating. It’s impossible to compare eras accurately and place one player over the other. Personal biases play a massive role in the GOAT debate and it’s fruitless to engage in it.
