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.
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“Tell your old man to drag Walton and Lanier up and down the court for 48 minutes!”
True, Bill won every playoff matchup.
And so modest too! He’s the perfect ambassador for his ghetto trash sport. Put a ball through a hole. Look at me! Look at me! At least some others like David Robinson, Hakeem Olajuwon and Michael Jordan had a modicum of class - not this guy!
Totally ruined what was once an enjoyable game.
As already stated:
He made a big deal when we got on that “Bet you’re going to tell all your friends you rode an elevator with LeBron James, huh!”
To which I replied (very confused as to why he said that) “Who is LeBron James? You? What do you do?”
Because I had never heard of him.
I’ve never watched an NBA game in my life. Nor any professional game of any sport.
I just don’t care. Nor do I care if he cared, although according to all my friends, he looked massively deflated.
As well he should. I think it was Howie Long who said, commenting on some random QB declaring he was the best: “if you don’t think you’re the best, why are you on the field”. He’s certainly in the discussion, and like he said they’d probably all pick themselves.
I am sure you ruined his day.
(You didn’t ruin his day. He didn’t care.)
But my earlier point is that Wilt was an all time great…just like Bill. They made each other better.
I like watching basketball. I did photography work for the Basketball Hall of Fame for many years. Most of those guys are wonderful to work around. It is always interesting to be around people who were the absolute best at their jobs. It’s really fun to see them interacting with each other in a private room when no one is watching. I got a look into their world for just a few minutes at a time.
While most of them appreciate the fans…you can tell the fans are their least favorite parts of these events.
I was just telling my wife the other night, “While I am a Celtics fan, I really like the guys on the Knicks. I just cannot stand their fans or the media around them.”
That’s how I feel about these GOAT conversations. There is no answer that someone like LeBron can give would make everyone happy.
Why can’t we just appreciate that he is a great player?
Give me Larry Bird. Jordan second. At least a 5 way tie for third.
Sounds great to me. I’m indifferent, either way.
I was paired in golf at some celebrity tournament with some famous coach one time. I didn’t know who he was, either.
Russ and Wilt are both in the 5 way tie for third. Because the eras they played are so different, it’s hard to categorize the top 10.
Now, if you're talking about race horses, there is Secretariat, and that's then end of the story.
Over, Oveur!
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