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LeBron James on GOAT Debate: 'I'm Not Taking Nobody Over Me'
ESPN ^ | Jun 10, 2026

Posted on 06/10/2026 10:44:37 AM PDT by nickcarraway

As he nears the end of his storied NBA career, LeBron James continues to stand as arguably the greatest basketball player of all time.

James was asked about the inevitable GOAT debate surrounding him and Michael Jordan during a recent interview with Time.

"I'm not taking nobody over me," James told Time as part of a wide-ranging profile published Monday. "There's no question."

James acknowledged that the NBA's other all-time greats, including Jordan, likely think that they are the GOAT.

"But I think Mike will say the same thing," James said. "Rest his soul, Kobe will say the same thing. Magic will say the same thing. Bird will say the same thing. Shaq could say the same thing. The late great Wilt. Kareem. I don't think none of us are going to take somebody else."

James circled back to himself, however, at the end of his response.

"If there's a general manager and he's eyeballing all of us on a baseline, with the No. 1 pick, it's gonna be hard not to take me, champ," he said.

At a different point during the interview, James was asked whether he thinks he is a more influential athlete than Jordan.

"You ask somebody that grew up in the Jordan era, they're gonna say Jordan," James said. "You ask somebody who grew up in the LeBron era ... they're still gonna say Jordan.

"Listen, to each his own. I can tell you this. I never step my feet in another man's shoes, saying, 'OK, well, s---, I got to do better than him.' My journey is my journey. I do what I do. I know what I've brought to the table. From a basketball standpoint, an inspiring standpoint, an influential standpoint, I know I can walk in any room."

James' journey in the NBA could be coming to an end as early as this summer, when he is set to become an unrestricted free agent. The four-time league MVP has said he is undecided whether he will retire or extend his career with an unprecedented 24th NBA season, with either the Los Angeles Lakers or another team

"It's up to the mind," James told Time. "Where the mind goes, the body will lay. When I'm not in love with getting to the arenas on game days five hours before to start my preparation, if I'm out of love with getting to practice 2½ hours beforehand, then I know I'll be done. Because then I'm going to start cheating the game."

James is a four-time NBA champion, a 22-time All-Star, and the league's all-time leading scorer. He has played in more games, won more games, and taken more shots than anyone else who has ever put on an NBA uniform.


TOPICS: Sports
KEYWORDS: flopping; lebronjames; nba

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To: nickcarraway

Free Throw Percentage: Larry Bird (88.6%) vs. LeBron James (73.5%). Sorry Lebron, I’ll take Larry, he could make a foul shot.


21 posted on 06/10/2026 11:12:39 AM PDT by kawhill (Dywedwch Wrthbym because + Add translation Welsh-English dictionary 'Tell Us')
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To: nickcarraway

Wilt Chamberlain’s dominance forced the NBA and NCAA to implement several key rule changes designed to limit his unfair advantages:

Free Throw Lane Width: The lane was expanded from 12 feet to 16 feet in 1964 to prevent Chamberlain from camping near the basket.

Free Throw Dunking: A rule was established in 1956 prohibiting shooters from crossing the free throw line until the ball hits the rim, stopping Chamberlain’s technique of leaping to dunk his own free throws.

Offensive Goaltending: Also introduced in 1956, this rule banned players from interfering with the ball while it was on its way down to the basket, preventing Chamberlain from guiding shots in.

Inbounding Over the Backboard: The practice of throwing alley-oop passes over the backboard for a teammate to catch and dunk was banned because Chamberlain exploited this play.

3-Second Violation: Strict enforcement of the rule limiting how long an offensive player can remain in the paint was intensified to counter his presence in the key.


22 posted on 06/10/2026 11:14:02 AM PDT by yuleeyahoo (“Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!” - the deep-state)
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To: Olog-hai

Engrish isn’t his first language?


23 posted on 06/10/2026 11:19:06 AM PDT by Kudsman (Codify the 80% of an 80/20 issue; receive 80% support. )
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To: hole_n_one

Yes...his nickname should be LeFlop.


24 posted on 06/10/2026 11:29:40 AM PDT by woweeitsme
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To: Kudsman

When you read that sentence, it sounds like something a 2nd grader would say.


25 posted on 06/10/2026 11:30:28 AM PDT by woweeitsme
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To: Sicon
Nothing says “I’m smart!” like an unintentional double negative. Just one more example proving that intelligence and wealth often have very little to do with one another.

Correct. Translated from ghetto talk to standard English, "I'm not taking nobody over me," means "I'm taking somebody over me."

26 posted on 06/10/2026 11:32:29 AM PDT by Labyrinthos
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To: falcon99

+1


27 posted on 06/10/2026 11:41:13 AM PDT by GranTorino (Bloody Lips Save Ships)
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To: woweeitsme
...it sounds like something a 2nd grader would say.
That's probably the last time he had to go to class. 🙄
28 posted on 06/10/2026 11:42:49 AM PDT by Bratch
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To: nickcarraway

well.. maybe you’d put Diddy over you.


29 posted on 06/10/2026 11:48:16 AM PDT by Dick Vomer ( (2 Timothy 4:7 "deo duce ferro comitantes" <p><b></B><P> <img src="">)
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To: nickcarraway

“I would not put any flopper in the top 10.”


Completely agree. I’ve been a Laker fan since I was 5 years old, which was a LONG time ago, and I don’t care for James at all.

Jordan, Bird, Magic, Kobe, Wilt, Russell, Jerry West - all superior to LeBron.


30 posted on 06/10/2026 11:59:05 AM PDT by doragsda
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To: nickcarraway

Kareem.


31 posted on 06/10/2026 12:01:43 PM PDT by Mariner (War Criminal #18)
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To: Mariner
Kareem

I’m sorry, son, but you must have him confused with someone else. His name is Roger Murdock. He's the co-pilot.

32 posted on 06/10/2026 12:28:22 PM PDT by Mr.Unique (My boss wants me to sign up for a 401K. No way I'm running that far! )
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To: Mariner

Kareem is a Center. James is a Small Forward/Point Guard. Any time before the 2000s, they would look at him and say Power Forward, but he is too much of a wimp to be a 4.


33 posted on 06/10/2026 12:29:20 PM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: Mr.Unique

Roger, Roger!


34 posted on 06/10/2026 12:29:55 PM PDT by dfwgator ("I am Charlie Kirk!")
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To: dfwgator

Huh?


35 posted on 06/10/2026 12:32:19 PM PDT by Clay Moore (My pistol identifies as a cordless hole punch. )
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To: Clay Moore
Huh?

Quoted from the movie "Airplane."

36 posted on 06/10/2026 12:43:42 PM PDT by Night Hides Not (Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad! Remember Gonzales! Come and Take It!)
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To: nickcarraway

These “debates” are as old as sports. And they are pretty much impossible to define in any real sense.

The achievements of a player from 50 years ago should not be compared to someone playing today. They are different times, and each “era” has their top players.

I have to smile though when people rattle off the names of basketball players but fail to include someone like Bill Russell—the most dominant player of his time, many championships, and a championship as a coach. Yet, you hear kids today say, Wilt Chamberlain. If you don’t have context the entire conversation is silly.

Can we appreciate the great players as great players?


37 posted on 06/10/2026 12:50:26 PM PDT by Vermont Lt
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To: MeanWestTexan

Why would you do that? Do you think he cared?


38 posted on 06/10/2026 12:51:55 PM PDT by Vermont Lt
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To: Night Hides Not; Claymore; dfwgator

“Huh?” is a part of the gag.


39 posted on 06/10/2026 12:53:02 PM PDT by Mr.Unique (My boss wants me to sign up for a 401K. No way I'm running that far! )
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To: yuleeyahoo

And yet, Bill Russell beat him more often than not. Imagine that. LOL


40 posted on 06/10/2026 12:53:59 PM PDT by Vermont Lt
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