In some sports, like football, the GOAT debate is an open-and-shut case — most people would say it's Tom Brady. But basketball is not one of those sports. And two NBA players that are brought up in seemingly every GOAT conversation are LeBron James and Michael Jordan. Jordan starred with the Chicago Bulls during the 80s and 90s, while James is in the 20th year of his pro career after entering the NBA in 2003.
During the 2023 All-Star weekend in Salt Lake City, Utah, NBA legend Charles Barkley shared his thoughts on the GOAT debate and the comparisons between James and Jordan, per a tweet from Legion Hoops:
“Kareem was the greatest in his generation, MJ was the greatest in his generation, and LeBron’s been the greatest in his generation. You can’t compare eras. It’s impossible.”
Now 60 years old, Charles Barkley played 16 years in the NBA for three different teams. He was an 11-time All-Star, earned 11 All-NBA selections, and won the league's Most Valuable Player award in the 1992-93 campaign as a member of the Phoenix Suns. Barkley's best statistical season came during 1987-88 when he averaged 28.3 points and 11.9 rebounds and led the entire association in two-point field-goal percentage.
It's hard not to respect Barkley's take on the GOAT conversation. After all, basketball was a completely different sport when Jordan played compared to now. But while we may never know which of Jordan and James is the superior player, we know that they are two of the best basketball players ever to step foot on a basketball court.
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