Just us/Kwame Salter
NBA GOAT Debate: What Are We Talking ‘Bout?
In the spirit of full disclosure, I am an unabashed fan of both Micheal Jordan [MJ] and LeBron James [LBJ]. Having lived in Chicago both during and after MJ’s undisputed reign as King of the Court, I was dutifully impressed by the impact he had on the game of basketball.
As MJ was making his mark on the league, we were notified that his potential successor was on the tarmac waiting to take off. Christened "THE CHOSEN ONE” on the classic Sports Illustrated magazine cover, LBJ rolled into the NBA with intense pressure to live up to the lofty moniker of “the chosen one.” Yet, in spite of the outsized pressure/expectations, he rose to and continues rising to meet every challenge the beautiful game of basketball has to offer.
Still, the question remains, “Is he the greatest of all time professional basketball players?” or “has MJ’s accomplishments lapped over everything LBJ has done the last 23 years?”
Part of the problem with having the GOAT conversation is that close to 5,000 men have played in the NBA over its existence. Names like Bill Russell, Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Oscar Robinson [Big O], Hakeem , Ralph Sampson, Kareem, and Isaiah Thomas come to mind. At any point in time, any one of these outstanding athletes could be considered the GOAT of their era.
Now, the challenge is really to decide who is the GOAT of all GOATS? To accomplish this task requires a strict set of metrics that can clearly differentiate and separate the era GOATS. What metrics should we use? Will the number of Championship rings be the controlling metric? If so, give it up for Bill Russell. Should longevity, playing at the highest level, be the metric? If so, then LBJ is the GOAT based on this metric. If clutch is the criteria, we can’t ignore the NBA logo, the one and only Jerry West as a GOAT candidate. How about scoring the basketball? Well now, don’t forget about the one and only Elgin Baylor who could put up a 60 piece on any given night. Should how one makes their teammates perform better via assists be a metric? Then Isiah Thomas and the Big O should get a nod.
My point is simply this: Labeling someone the GOAT literally means THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME — emphasis on ALL TIME!. For the record, I am not ready to declare anyone past and present to be the GOAT. However, I will concede that all the people I referenced could be considered the GOTE — in other words, THE GREATEST OF THEIR ERA.
Now back to the MJ and LBJ debate. No doubt, MJ left an indelible mark on the game of basketball and society in general. His intensity, singular focus and otherworldly athleticism are not debatable. His basketball shoes are still the standard among hoop heads. However, what is missing in our almost religious praise of MJ is a key contributor to his greatness — Scottie Pippen! Yea, I said it. Without Scottie, there are no championships or three peats. MJ’s greatness is inextricably tied to number 33.
Herein lies the difference between MJ and LBJ. LaBron lifted “the others” he played with to higher levels of performance. In contrast, Scottie lifted MJ to the stratosphere of individual performances and allowed him to showcase his amazing talents. While the MJ backers eventually point to his six championships and finals MVP awards, I tend to look at what each star had to work with while amassing their accolades. No doubt, LBJ had a more challenging and rocky road to travel and negotiate. For the record, LBJ has made it to 10 NBA finals and won four. On the other hand, MJ went to 6 and won all 6 — nothing to sneeze at or dismiss. Yet, chips won cannot be the controlling metric.
I just want us, the fans, to realize how fortunate we were to be able to say that we witnessed a level of sustained greatness from both MJ and LBJ that will be hard, if not impossible, to replicate. And, that’s all I got to say about the GOAT debate.
"You can tell whether a man is clever by his answers...you can tell whether a man is wise by his questions." -Naquib Mahfouz