Aaron Rodgers picks his all-time best player in NBA: “I didn't say greatest, I said best”
NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers is the latest to chime in on the all-time best basketball player debate. During a recent interview with Serge Ibaka on How Hungry Are You?, the two had a discussion regarding some of the top NBA talents in history.
Aaron Rodgers was arguably the top player in the NFL at his peak. He is a four-time MVP, one-time Super Bowl champion, and one-time Super Bowl MVP.
The conversation started with Serge Ibaka asking the Green Bay Packers QB who he thought was the best player ever at his position. Rodgers responded by picking Tom Brady because of his seven Super Bowl wins. The question was then flipped on Ibaka in a basketball sense.
Keeping suit with Aaron Rodgers' thought process, the Milwaukee Bucks big man went with Bill Russell because he won 11 NBA titles. The NFL star then went on to bring up Michael Jordan.
"I didn't say greatest. I said best... Michael Jordan. That's even close."
Ibaka accepted the answer but made sure to mention LA Lakers star LeBron James as well.
"Yeah. But you say Michael Jordan, but these days people say LeBron James, you know, like, it's not that simple."
Rodgers then proceeded to double down on his adoration for the Chicago Bulls legend.
"It is for me. I grew up watching Mike. That's my opinion."
Is Aaron Rodgers right about the Michael Jordan/LeBron James debate?
Aaron Rodgers may feel that Michael Jordan has a leg up on LeBron James, but from a player standpoint, the LA Lakers forward might have a slight edge.
In the all-time greatness debate, it's impossible not to side with Jordan, given his list of accolades. However, from a purely on-the-court standpoint, LeBron should be given more credit.
Part of what has made LeBron so successful over the past two decades is his ability to do it all on a nightly basis. His mix of size, athleticism, and basketball IQ has made him a force to be reckoned with. Jordan impacted the game in a big way as well, but LeBron is the better all-around talent.
Given that Aaron Rodgers grew up watching Jordan at his apex, seeing him side with the NBA icon is not surprising. That being said, he should give more credit to his fellow generation of pro athletes. LeBron would not still be a high-impact player in the league in his 20th season if he wasn't among the best players ever.