Getty Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James.
Unless LeBron James goes on an unprecedented run over the last years of his career and wins four more NBA championships, the debate of whether or not he’s better than Michael Jordan will go on for years to come. There are arguments to be made on both sides, but the Los Angeles Lakers star still has time to add to his case.
However, there are those who think that LeBron has already done enough to call himself the greatest of all time. Former Detroit Pistons All-Star Bill Laimbeer didn’t mince word when talking about the debate.
“I’m very vocal. I think LeBron is the best player to ever play the game,” Laimbeer said on ESPN’s First Take Tuesday morning.
Laimbeer, who currently coaches in the WNBA, knows what sets LeBron apart from other NBA legends.
“He runs like the wind and jumps out of the gym.” Laimbeer said. “But more importantly when he joined the league, from day one he knew how to involve his teammates to win.”
LeBron’s ability to be an elite passer while also scoring a ton of points is unique in NBA history. He only recently passed Jordan on the All-Time scoring list but has way more assists than the Bulls legend. The only thing Jordan has on LeBron is championships and he probably always will.
LeBron Would Thrive in Any Generation
There’s no doubt that the way basketball is played in the NBA today is different than how it used to be played. There’s an argument to be made some of the top players today wouldn’t be as elite if they were to play in the 80s or 90s. However, Laimbeer doesn’t believe that would be the case for LeBron.
“But I think Lebron in any generation would be doing what he’s doing right now,” Laimbeer said. “At the end of the day I firmly believe that he’s the best basketball player in the history of the game.”
That may be what sets LeBron apart from everybody else. He’s not just good at one thing, he’s good at everything. It’s hard to imagine he wouldn’t be even more dominant had he played in a different era.
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LeBron Already Think He’s the GOAT
If you were to ask LeBron, he probably believes that he’s already settled the greatest of all-time debate. He’s already addressed the debate in the past.
“That one right there made me the greatest player of all time … that’s what I felt,” LeBron said on ESPN’s More Than An Athlete series in 2018. “I was super, super ecstatic to win one for Cleveland because of the 52-year drought. … The first wave of emotion was when everyone saw me crying, like, that was all for 52 years of everything in sports that’s gone on in Cleveland. And then after I stopped, I was like — that one right there made you the greatest player of all time.”
LeBron has always had a peculiar way of leveling praise at himself, but it’s hard to argue with him. If he can win one or two more championships, he’ll help his case. That said, there will always be people who put Jordan ahead of LeBron.
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