Former Lakers Forward Lauds LeBron James as the GOAT

Eva Geitheim | Mar 28, 2024

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

The "greatest of all time" argument is often a never-ending debate.

In the NBA, the conversation is largely between Michael Jordan and LeBron James, with many considering Jordan to be the greatest ever.

Former Los Angeles Lakers forward Michael Beasley believes that James is the GOAT, and calls the love for Jordan as the GOAT as "holding on to old feelings." Beasley, who spent over a decade in the NBA, got to play alongside James on the Lakers from 2018-2019.

“I feel like people that stan Michael Jordan as the GOAT, like no disrespect, but ya’ll just holding on to old feelings," Beasley said on The OGs podcast. "Like you have to acknowledge the fact that what I just said is. Like he got 40,000 (points) right now.”

James certainly has a compelling case to be the GOAT, which he's only added to over the past couple seasons. He's the NBA all-time leading scorer and the first and only player in league history to score over 40,000 points. James also has unmatched longevity, becoming the only player to play in twenty straight NBA All-Star games.

Still, Michael Jordan surpasses James in several important categories. Jordan has won six NBA titles compared to James' four championship rings. While James has been to more NBA Finals, Jordan has never lost the NBA Finals.

Jordan also has five NBA MVP awards while James holds four. Jordan also trumps James in NBA scoring titles. He led the NBA in scoring an incredible ten times, while James has only achieved this once.

Ultimately, there is a valid argument for both players to be considered the greatest. Jordan and James each have advantages, but either way, there is no doubt that they are two of the best players in NBA history.