"This is the most ridiculous conversation"- Jerry West hates talking about the GOAT debate

Jerry West is considered one of the best players the NBA has ever seen. “The Logo” was easily one of the most accomplished trailblazers that many later basketball superstars admired.

West has seen practically everything the best pro basketball league in the world has to offer both as a player and as an executive. Here’s what he had to say about the endless greatest-of-all-time (GOAT) debate on Podcast P with Paul George:

“This is one of the most ridiculous conversations you’ll ever have, okay?” This is the thing that drives me crazy. There’s different eras, different changes. The athletes today, their athletic ability should be better. They should be better shooters. And you know they’re going to handle the ball."

He added:

“The coaches wanna kill half of them for handling the ball. But face it, they’re copycats. And so some of them with enormous skills can go do these things and look very natural. You put the other guy who got the same kind of skill, he’ll look like he’s trying to mimic the great guy.

Jerry West capped off his lengthy answer with this:

“I don’t buy into this GOAT stuff. There’s a lot of smelly GOATs around.

"There's a lot of smelly 🐐s around."

Jerry West is not messing with the GOAT debate 😅 https://t.co/LO3e5JRAKD

Over the years, the greatest of all-time conversations circled Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Oscar Robertson and Jerry West. Years later, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan were added to the list.

In this day and age, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James have been tossed into the equation as well. Most analysts put the discussion into a three-horse race between James, Jordan and Abdul-Jabbar.

Jerry West had the chance to play against Russell, Chamberlain and Abdul-Jabbar. All the others he has extensively watched, scouted and probably wanted to acquire as a coach and team executive. “Mr. Clutch” is in a unique position to evaluate the talents and skills he has had the chance to come across.

The 1969 NBA Finals MVP has his reasons why he can’t give the GOAT title to any player.

The late Kobe Bryant had the same logic in the GOAT debate as Jerry West

Jerry West played a big part in Kobe Bryant’s growth both as a player and as a person. He had a close relationship with “The Logo” and would spend hours in West’s house when “KB24” was early into his NBA career.

Unsurprisingly, he shares the same view of the GOAT debate as his former mention. In 2018, he was asked about who between LeBron James and Michael Jordan was the greatest. Here’s his reply on Barstool Sports’ The Corp podcast:

"See, that's the type of immature question people are asking. I know this is what regular fans talk about. What I’m saying is regular people ask really simple questions"

The “Black Mamba” added that succession has to be highlighted when the GOAT talk is mentioned. He noted how Jordan learned from Dr. J, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson. Bryant also emphasized he learned a lot from playing against and talking to “His Airness.”

Finally, the late Laker great handed down some of those lessons to “King James” during their stint together in the Olympics.

Kobe Bryant said the same thing Jerry West told Paul George when he tweeted this:

“We can enjoy one without tearing down one. I love what he’s doing. Don’t debate what can’t be definitively won by anyone” #enjoymy5 #enjoymj6 #enjoylbjquest

We can enjoy one without tearing down one. I love what he’s doing. Don’t debate what can’t be definitively won by anyone #enjoymy5 #enjoymj6 #enjoylbjquest

Also read: Is the GOAT debate in Basketball, Michael Jordan vs LeBron James, over?