Danny Ainge: LeBron May Be Using 'Donald Trump Approach' in GOAT Debate

The debate over who is the greatest basketball player is in full swing.

Debate over who's the greatest basketball player is in full swing.

Last week, during an episode of ESPN+'s More Than an Athlete, Lakers forward LeBron James said he cemented his status as the best ever when he led the Cavaliers back from a 3–1 deficit against the Warriors to claim their first-ever NBA title during the 2016 Finals.

Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge chimed in on James's opinion during a radio interview on Thursday.

"His career is not over," Ainge said, per 98.5 The Sports Hub. "Maybe he's taking the Donald Trump approach and trying to sell himself. I don't know."

"Obviously LeBron is in every conversation with who is the greatest player of all time," Ainge added, according to Darren Hartwell of NBC Sports Boston. "But time will tell. I don't know if anyone knows who the greatest of all time is, because the years are so different."

During an interview with CNN last summer, James said that Trump was using politics to divide the country. James has repeatedly spoken out against the president while sports help bring people together. Trump responded by suggesting the interviewer, Don Lemon, "made LeBron look smart, which isn't easy to do."

In Sept. 2017, James called Trump a "bum" for rescinding the Golden State Warriors' invitation to the White House to celebrate their NBA championship. James said that neither the Warriors or the Cleveland Cavaliers would have accepted an invitation to the White House before the invitation was pulled.