"It becomes 'can you believe people were still arguing about it?'" - NBA analyst says LeBron James breaking Kareem's record and winning the title would make the GOAT debate an afterthought
LeBron James is easily one of the greatest players to play the game of basketball. Where he ranks among the elite, however, has remained a popular topic of conversation. His recent decision to remain with the LA Lakers has brought many reactions, regarding both his decision to not take less and how it affects his legacy.
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James' decision may have removed a potential distraction for the upcoming season, but some also believe it has removed his chances of winning more titles. One of LeBron's biggest supporters, Nick Wright, took to his podcast, "What's Wright? With Nick Wright," to discuss LeBron's legacy, saying:
"I don't think the Lakers will win the title, and, as presently constituted, they can't win the title.
"But, if in LeBron's 20th season, he not only passes Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in all-time scoring, which is going to happen midway through this year, but does it while playing at an All-NBA level, which he obviously did last year, and somehow the team were to win the title and it's the title that breaks the tie with the Celtics for most titles in franchise history?
"If that all were to happen, then the GOAT debate becomes an afterthought. Then it becomes, can you believe people were still arguing about it? They do not have enough to win the title this year unless they add a true difference-maker, which they're not going to be able to do without getting rid of one or maybe both of those future picks."
At this stage of his career, James is simply adding to an all-time legacy. Passing Kareem on the all-time scoring list will help, but ultimately, the only way to become the undisputed GOAT is by winning more rings and more MVPs.
Can LeBron James become the undisputed GOAT?
No matter what LeBron James does, he may never be viewed as the undisputed GOAT. The beauty of these discussions is that there is no wrong answer because they are based on opinion. There is no subjective answer concerning the greatest of all time as it is impossible to compare eras. A more reasonable discussion would be to compare how each player dominated their era.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the player who dominated his era the most in terms of accolades. But because he was reserved and unfriendly with the media, he has become an afterthought. Abdul-Jabbar won six titles and an NBA-record six MVPs and has held the scoring record since 1984.
Michael Jordan is another player who dominated his era as he prevented many stars from winning a ring before retirement, while winning six of his own. His dominance on the court and impact on the game has made him the player most NBA stars believe is the GOAT. Lakers owner Jeanie Buss recently revealed that she is among the group who considers Jordan the GOAT.
Lakers owner Jeanie Buss: ‘Michael Jordan is the greatest of all time’ lakersdaily.com/lakers-owner-j…
Magic Johnson is another name that should be acknowledged, as it is arguable that no player impacted winning more. Johnson went to the NBA Finals in 75% of his career and won the title for nearly half of his career. If not for his contraction of the HIV virus, it is arguable that Johnson would have retired with more rings than Abdul-Jabbar or Jordan.
Finally, Kobe Bryant is often mentioned by NBA players as the GOAT. Having those compliments from peers who shared the court is the ultimate form of respect. His two-way excellence is often overlooked, but Bryant is fourth all-time in scoring, while tied for the most all-defensive first teams ever and second-most all-defensive teams overall. He was a rare player who was an elite scorer and elite defender.
This is just a small list without mentioning all-time greats such as Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Shaquille O'Neal and Tim Duncan. James is solidified as an all-time great and one of the best of the best, but is unlikely that there will ever be an "undisputed GOAT'.