For the better part of his two-decade tenure in the association, Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James has been regularly linked to Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan, with many debating who of the two should be deemed as the greatest basketball player of all time. While consensus vote often seems to have MJ being labeled as the de facto “GOAT”, ESPN's Stephen A. Smith made the bold claim that should James win another NBA title, it could bump him to first on the game's Mt. Rushmore.

“LeBron is going to be on my Mount Rushmore as number two all-time. That's how I feel about him. Having said that I will acknowledge that I have found it insulting for anybody to think that he belongs above Michael Jordan. If he were to win a fifth title this year, I would no longer feel insulted by that discussion. I would have to concede that, yea I still ain't putting him above Jordan, but I understand others who might think otherwise. Because, for him to take this team from where it was to where it is now…it would warrant a discussion as the greatest player to have ever played this game,” Stephen A. Smith said on the LeBron James, Michael Jordan debate.

Now in his 20 year in the association, LeBron James has once again put forth a miraculous season both for himself and the club he represents. Through 55 games played with the Lakers in 2022-23, the 19-time All-Star posted sensational averages of 28.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 6.8 assists while shooting 50.0% from the field.

With his efforts during the year, the 28-year-old became the league's all-time leading scorer in both the regular season and postseason and finds himself ranked in the top five in field goals made and assists.

His accomplishments to this point have already soundly placed him into the conversation of being a top-five basketball player of all time, though Stephen A. Smith believes that another championship could be enough for some to legitimately place LeBron James above Michael Jordan for the top spot.

Considering the Lakers are up 3-1 against the defending champion Golden State Warriors, it would seem as though the star forward may have a chance to claim title number five by the time the 2023 campaign comes to a close.