"MJ had 4 rings by then" - Stephen A. Smith comically slams Karl-Anthony Towns for snubbing Michael Jordan as GOAT
It has been over 21 years since Michael Jordan retired, and the NBA GOAT debate still rages on, with Karl-Anthony Towns the latest player to give his two cents on the subject. Many superstars have graced the league over the years but New York Knicks star Towns named LeBron James as the man who is a cut above the rest.
Speaking on Shannon Sharpe's podcast "Club Shay Shay," Towns was asked his views of the greatest NBA player of all time and had the following response:
"That man Bron different...Bron is the best player we've ever seen."
Towns' comments led to a passionate and vehement response from Stephen A. Smith on his podcast on Friday. The well-known sports personality came out in defense of Michael Jordan and slammed the 28-year-old center/forward's stance:
"Do you'll know that Karl-Anthony Towns was born in 1995. MJ had 4 rings by then...MJ had four right tat the time Karl-Anthony Towns was born," said Smith (57.30).
Smith went on to highlight Jordan's six championships, 10 scoring championships, and nine All-Defensive First Team awards. The Chicago Bulls star has won one more MVP title than James and has also been named the league's Defensive Player of the Year, an accolade James still does not have in his trophy cabinet.
James, the NBA's all-time leading scorer, is set to begin his 22nd season in the NBA this year with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Smith also called out his colleague Shannon Sharpe for leading Towns in a certain direction.
"You should be ashamed of yourself Shannon Sharpe. You ain't going to get away with this Shay Shay," added Smith. "I don't want to hear from some puppy...he's young. He don't know any better. He wasn't born when MJ was at his height doing damage."
Karl-Anthony Towns discusses his long-standing ties to the Knicks on Shannon Sharpe's show
After being eliminated in the Eastern Conference semifinals for the second consecutive year, the New York Knicks made a big splash by going out trading for Karl-Anthony Towns. The Minnesota Timberwolves received Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, and a first-round pick in return.
Towns, who was born and raised in New Jersey, sat down with Shannon Sharpe this week and opened up about his ties to the New York Knicks organization. The 28-year-old admitted that he was a Knicks fan growing up.
A big part of that has to do with his mother, Jacqueline, an immigrant from the Dominican Republic who used to go to games when she moved to the USA.
"Knicks was different because my mom when she immigrated over from the DR would always go to Knicks games...my mom grew up talking so much about Madison Square Garden, the history that comes with it," said Towns.
Towns also revealed that the Knicks were one of the few NBA organizations that provided an opportunity to his father, Karl Towns Sr., to try out at their training camp.