“You look at Kareem and Michael, neither one of them ever had anything close to the 2011 Finals” - Nick Wright says LeBron James’ performance is the only argument against him being the GOAT
LA Lakers superstar LeBron James has had a lengthy resume of accomplishments as one of the top players in NBA history. His impact on and off the court has been eye-opening, as James has become one of the biggest superstars of all-time.
However, although there will be plenty of debate, some are convinced that other players might have a better case as the "greatest of all time." On "What's Wright? With Nick Wright," the analyst said that James' 2011 Finals performance could prevent him from being considered the "GOAT."
"The biggest and most legitimate argument against LeBron being No. 1 is if you look at Kareem (Abdul-Jabbar) and Michael (Jordan), neither one of them ever had anything close to the 2011 Finals on their resume," Wright said. "The question is, is the 2011 Finals disqualifying?
"Can you be the best ever if you have that type of moment on your resume that cost your team a championship? I obviously believe the answer is yes. I think his body of work before that and most notably his body of work in the decade since that makes it, and the totality of it, makes that a part of his story but not even close to the defining part of the story."
LeBron James and the LA Lakers look to respond in 2022-23
Nick Wright talked about how LeBron James' performance in the 2011 NBA Finals has been one of the only negatives in his impressive career. During that series against the Dallas Mavericks, James averaged 17.8 points, 7.2 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game while shooting 47.8%, including 32.1% from 3-point range.
James has often said it was one of his worst performances on the biggest stage. Regardless of the fact that James' 2011 Finals wasn't his best, he's still had plenty of eye-opening performances in other years.
Players with 10,000 points before turning 25:
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If James wants to build on his resume, he and the Lakers are going to need to have a bounceback season.
James, a four-time champion, is getting ready for his 20th season, although he's still a dominant force in the league. Last season, James averaged 30.3 ppg, 8.2 rpg and 6.2 apg while shooting 52.4%.
James, a member of the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team, is a four-time MVP and 18-time All-Star. He's made the All-Defensive team six times and was the scoring champ in 2007-08.