Maybe you engaged with her on Twitter. Maybe you shouted back and forth about it in a crowded bar, back in the days when bars could still be crowded. Maybe you threw theories at halftime of the NBA Finals.
In all likelihood, however, you met him: who is the greatest of all time?
Few modern NBA players have had the narrative of their careers shaped by the talk of how LeBron James A. When you’re anointed” the Chosen One ” by Sports Illustrated as a high school student, then spend the next 17 seasons usually exceeding those expectations, that’s it, but inevitable.
According to Hall of Famer Shaquille O’neal, a four-time NBA champion who knows a thing or two about greatness himself, fans aren’t the only ones who have thought about where James ranks on these all-time lists.
“I know LeBron and I know he thinks about what people think,” O’neal said during an appearance on CBS Sports ‘ All Things covered podcast. “So right now he has four [championships]. Once he got five — think about it, he’s already passed Kobe [Bryant] and [Michael] Jordan on points. Once he has five championships, now he will be closer to the goat.”
The GOAT, the greatest basketball player of all time, is often considered Jordan, a man whose field achievements have gone from wins and losses to basketball mythology. However, according to the criteria considered, other names of the Hall of Fame enter the conversation.
Eleven-time NBA champion Bill Russell has set a standard for team success that will probably never be overseen. Bryant’s polarizing Magnetism has made him the most iconic star for a generation of Los Angeles fans in a city that is no stranger to flashy names. Wilt Chamberlain’s season averages, including a year in which he posted 50.7 points and 25.7 rebounds, tend to suggest. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar set what appeared to be an unassailable all-time points record.
James just turned 36. Even though the twilight of his brilliant career has, so far, defied the idea that fathers ‘ time cannot be overcome, the window for James to cement his place at the top of this list is probably closing but it is not yet.
“As he gets to five [championships], he’s going to crawl over Kareem as well [in points],” O’neal said. “I think he’s looking to overtake Kareem, right, to reach 39,000 and that will automatically put him as the best player.
“..I think LeBron is looking to match Kobe and Jordan with championships, and I think he’s looking to overtake Kareem Abdul-Jabar. The conversation will probably change.”