Ball Around

Former NBA Star Tim Hardaway Chimes in on GOAT Debate

Ricardo Klein

Unknown date, 1998; Miami, FL; USA; FILE PHOTO; Miami Heat guard Tim Hardaway (10) attempts a shot against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Miami Arena. Mandatory Credit: RVR Photos-Imagn Images
Unknown date, 1998; Miami, FL; USA; FILE PHOTO; Miami Heat guard Tim Hardaway (10) attempts a shot against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Miami Arena. Mandatory Credit: RVR Photos-Imagn Images / RVR Photos-Imagn Images

The NBA's Greatest of All Time debut is never-ending. Everyone will have an opinion on the matter, and everyone's answer will be different. The conversation has and will continue between common basketball fans and even die-hard ones. 

While that is the case, it doesn't mean that NBA Hall of Famers don't have opinions on the matter. NBA Hall of Famer and five-time All-Star Tim Hardaway Sr. was vocal in his take on who the G.O.A.T. is. 

In a guest appearance on the 'Mark Jackson Show,' Hardaway argued that Michael Jordan is the G.O.A.T. of the NBA while another all-time great is right behind him. 

"Michael Jordan is the GOAT no question, he's been there six times and refused to lose six times," . "He played defense and didn't take days off. To me 1A is MJ and 1B is Kobe."

Hardaway, who played in the league from 1989-2003, played against both Jordan and Bryant. Jordan is arguably the greatest athlete of all time, which is quite self-explanatory; however, Hardaway is one of the few who have Bryant up in the conversation. 

Normally, people have Jordan and future NBA Hall of Famer LeBron James in the G.O.A.T conversation. James' case for being the G.O.A.T. is strong as he is a four-time NBA champion, four-time NBA MVP, 20-time All-Star, and a member of the NBA 75th Anniversary Team. James has a right to be up there, but so does Bryant. 

Bryant's career and resume speaks for itself. Bryant ranks fourth all-time in points, is an NBA MVP, two-time scoring champion, two-time NBA Finals MVP, 11-time All-NBA First-Team, nine-time NBA All-Defensive team, and a member of the NBA 75th Anniversary Team. 

The Lakers legend averaged 25.0 points per game, 5.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and shot 45 percent from the field in his legendary career. 

As for Jordan, he revolutionized and popularized the game like no other. The Chicago Bulls legend averaged 30.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game on 49.7% shooting. Over 15 years in the NBA, he was a 6x champion, 5x MVP, 10x scoring leader, and 14x All-Star. He's fifth on the NBA's all-time scoring list with 32,292 points scored.

Bryant is one of the most iconic basketball players of all time, and much of his style of play came from Jordan. Nonetheless, there is no doubt that those two players are among the all-time greats in the game. 

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Ricardo Klein
RICARDO KLEIN

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