Michael Jordan vs LeBron James: Where does the GOAT debate go now that LeBron is all-time leading scorer?
On Tuesday night, LeBron James finally achieved history. After a long climb, he surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA's all-time leading scorer.
Now that he's broken a record many thought would never be touched, the GOAT case for the LA Lakers star continues to grow. Some have held on to Michael Jordan being the greatest player ever, but it might be time for the Chicago Bulls legend to step aside.
There is no denying that MJ should still be seen as the greatest playoff performer ever. However, when discussing full careers, LeBron James has an edge. Not only has he dominated the league for much longer, but his list of accolades is a mile long.
Looking at his resume, James is a 19-time All-Star, 18-time All-NBA, four-time champion and four-time MVP. He is also a four-time Finals MVP, one-time scoring champ and one-time assist champ. On top of this, he is the all-time leading scorer and could potentially finish in the top three of all time in assists.
Jordan might be undefeated in the finals, but his reign over the league was nowhere near as long as LeBron James'. When James decides to hang it up for good, no player will be able to say they were that good for that long.
In his 20th season at the age of 38, James is still a top player. He is averaging over 30.2 points per game and doing everything he can to drag his team to a playoff spot. Nobody in history has been this impactful at this stage of their career.
It's time to give LeBron James his flowers
While it's hard to cement LeBron James as the GOAT because his career is still ongoing, it's time for him to be given his flowers. The bar was set very high when he first entered the NBA in 2003, and he has arguably risen above it.
At the age of 18, James was labeled as "The Chosen One" and the next big thing in the NBA. Coming straight out of high school, he answered the call. Now, 20 years later, he sits among the elite talents in league history.
With the scoring record in hand, LeBron has done just about everything he possibly can in this league. He's won titles and MVPs and broken so many records. Looking at all he's done over the past 20 years, it's hard to deny that the LA Lakers star isn't the greatest player ever.
Another underrated factor in James' GOAT case is how long he has been a pillar for the NBA. Since almost the beginning of his career, he's been looked at as the face of the league. This is a tough burden to carry, let alone for two decades. However, he's always done what is needed to conduct himself professionally and keep a good image for the league.
LeBron James' accolades outweigh his shortcomings
The main thing that always put Michael Jordan ahead of LeBron James was that he had a perfect record in the finals to go along with six finals MVPs. It looks like James will still finish with fewer rings than MJ, but his accomplishments outweigh his shortcomings in the finals.
With four championships to his name, James still has as many as many of the game's greatest players. On top of that, he has a never-ending list of accolades and achievements.
In terms of GOAT status, LeBron passing Kareem for the scoring record should outweigh Jordan having more rings. The record had always been seen as an unreachable mark that would sit in history forever like Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game.
Since it is now broken, it speaks volumes to the longevity and dominance of LeBron over the past 20 years. Some will still try to deny it, but "The King" should finally have the throne all to himself.