Stephen A. Smith Tears Into LeBron James Over Latest GOAT Claims: “Michael Jordan Would Never Tell You”

LeBron James has reignited the GOAT debate after claiming he would pick himself over everyone else.

Stephen A. Smith Tears Into LeBron James Over Latest GOAT Claims: “Michael Jordan Would Never Tell You”

LeBron James' GOAT claims irk Stephen A. Smith (Image via FirstSportz)

Even if basketball fans were present and happy in a perfect world, there is no guarantee that they would not indulge in the GOAT debate to decide who between Michael Jordan and LeBron James is at the top.

As long as the Los Angeles Lakers superstar continues to play basketball, this is going to be one of the most talked-about topics on mainstream media and on the internet.

Even if the King were to retire, anything he or His Airness says will lead to arguments between people who support either side.

That is exactly what happened when the four-time champion told TIME Magazine that he would not pick anyone over himself. Even if it was not a direct GOAT comparison, it was enough to reopen conversations on First Take.

He’s talking about they would say the same thing, no, they wouldn’t. Michael Jordan would never tell you he’s the GOAT… I’m telling you he’s never ever, ever once called himself the greatest… Which brings us to LeBron James. Why would he do that? Because the man is addicted to trying to control the narrative.

Stephen A. Smith said

The 58-year-old made it clear that Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, or any other all-time great would not go around claiming themselves to be the best.

But LeBron James does so routinely, as he is always trying to establish himself as the GOAT. Stephen A. Smith believes this is the 41-year-old making a conscious effort to control the narrative that would otherwise never label him as the greatest of all time.

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Stephen A. Smith dissects how LeBron James is calculating in creating the narrative

After talking about how other all-time greats do not gloat about themselves, Stephen A. Smith went on to reveal how LeBron James has planned everything.

LeBron James playing for the Lakers
LeBron James playing for the Lakers (Image via Ric Flair/X)

Everything he does is calculated. He knows exactly what he is doing. He plots and he plans, hoping to have a specific impact. I would know, personally. I know what he does.

Smith said

The Queens, New York native believes that this latest interview with TIME Magazine was again a calculated effort by the Lakers superstar to create his narrative.

Smith pointed out that these efforts prove to him that the only reason James is continuing to play basketball is that he wants to keep stacking up the statistics and individual accolades.

Only then can the Akron native be assured that no one in the league’s future will be able to catch him in any of those areas. Once that is set, James can continue to keep building his GOAT narrative.

But Smith warned that as long as he is alive, he will ensure that the Lakers superstar and his army of friends and agencies do not manage to do so.

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Stephen A. Smith mocks LeBron James’ GOAT agenda

After addressing everything about the GOAT revelations in the TIME Magazine article, Stephen A. Smith then went on to mock LeBron James for doing one thing better than anyone else.

There are two categories in which LeBron James is the absolute GOAT: Longevity. Nobody has been as great for as long as he has been great for this period of time. The GOAT of longevity. And category number two: the GOAT of talking about who’s the GOAT. He’s the GOAT of that conversation.

Smith said

After giving the four-time league MVP his flowers for being the GOAT of longevity, the ESPN executive producer trolled the former for constantly talking about himself being the GOAT more than anyone else.

Smith had a sly smile throughout this conversation as he could get back at James for his attempt at furthering his narrative. The analyst pointed out that this is how the forward operates, something he knows all too well from their past.

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