Longtime Lakers Rival Reveals Why LeBron James Can’t Be NBA’s GOAT

Is this three-time champion right?

Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports

Conversations about who the greatest player in NBA history is often come down to two players — Michael Jordan and LeBron James. Former NBA player Mario Elie, who won three NBA championships with the Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs, believes James is not the GOAT because he has played in an era when the best players team up with each other.

“All these guys wanna join each other … and play with each other,” Elie said on Willie D Live. “No, I wanna beat you. I wanna beat you. LeBron, you say you the G.O.A.T. — why you joinin’ [Chris] Bosh and — you know what I’m sayin’? We wasn’t doin’ that in the ’90s. Like Dream (Hakeem Olajuwon) callin’ [Michael] Jordan, ‘You wanna link up?’ And callin’ [Larry] Bird and Magic [Johnson] up, ‘Y’all wanna link up and play?'”

“These boys want it easy right now,” Elie said. “It’s the AAU era right now. … Everybody want it easy. LeBron want Anthony Davis. Who else you want, LeBron? You talkin’ ’bout the G.O.A.T. Come on, man. … Great player, love him, but everybody wanna play buddy ball.”

James has certainly played alongside some great players including Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love, and Chris Bosh, but that in itself doesn't necessarily diminish his accomplishments. After all, Jordan played alongside two Basketball Hall of Famers in Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman, who were pivotal pieces in James winning six NBA championships.

Regardless of Elie's view, the 39-year-old will remain in the conversation as the greatest of all time for many people. After all, James has accomplished multiple feats in the league that no player has and has seen unmatched longevity.

James has made 20 NBA All-Star teams, an NBA record. He also is the NBA's all-time leading scorer, surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's longtime record in 2023, and is the only player in league history to have scored 40,000 points over the course of his career. Despite playing over 20 seasons, he remains one of the best players in the NBA every season, and has averaged over 20 points per game in every one of those years. To top it all off, he's a four-time NBA champion, four-time NBA Finals MVP, and a four-time NBA MVP.

There is certainly still an ongoing debate regarding who the greatest of all time is, but James' having good teammates over the course of his career should not keep him out of those conversations.

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