"The lack of individual accomplishments" – Shannon Sharpe on why Tom Brady isn't the GOAT of all athletes, names 3 other choices who he'd rate higher
Sports analyst Shannon Sharpe discussed some of the greatest players of all time Tuesday.
Players like brady" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-is-sponsored="false">Tom Brady, LeBron James, Michael Jordan and Wayne Gretzky are always mentioned as some of the greatest individuals to ever play in their sports. But it's not often all come up together in the same conversation.
With the NBA season passing its midway point, that means the NFL is also getting plenty of attention with its playoffs taking place. It also means that because of the time frame of both sports, a number of intriguing debates can pop up. Tuesday on "Skip and Shannon: Undisputed," Sharpe was asked if Brady, an NFL legend, is the "greatest of all time" among superstar athletes.
"What keeps me from saying no is the lack of individual accomplishments," Sharpe said.
Sharpe then mentioned Wayne Gretzky, Michael Jordan and LeBron James as three all-time greats who have had more "individual success" in their careers. All three have played a different sport than Brady, and some might argue football is more of a "team-reliant" sport.
.@ShannonSharpe on whether Tom Brady is the GOAT of all athletes:
"Over 22 seasons he's been phenomenal, but I'm going to say no. Brady's had an unbelievable career, but what keeps me from saying yes is the lack of individual accomplishments. For me it's Gretzky, MJ and Bron." https://t.co/1ETuPY40vd
Shannon Sharpe ranks Michael Jordan and LeBron James higher
The comments made by Shannon Sharpe are going to get attention around the sports world, but the thinking process makes sense.
LeBron James and Michael Jordan have become two of the most dominant players to ever step on a basketball court. While the NBA still requires an individual to play the game with four other teammates, there's an argument to be had that a player's individual talent can stand out more throughout the course of an entire game.
Jordan and James have been such dominant superstars that they've carried teams with inferior rosters to unthinkable heights over the course of their careers numerous times.
25+ points in 16 straight games 
👑 25+ points in 16 straight games 👑
#LeBronJames x #NBAAllStar https://t.co/9tW1G5laOx
The argument here could be even stronger for someone like Wayne Gretzky, who is known as one of the greatest players in the history of the NHL. While Gretzky was part of numerous teams, his dominance individually was noticeable on any given night, and his resume backed up that belief.
Tom Brady will undeniably go down as one of the greatest players to ever play quarterback in the NFL, but there's an argument to be made that his success also came from teams that were well constructed.
Sharpe said he would have James, Jordan and Gretzky ahead of Brady.