Michael Jordan’s perennial rival calls LeBron James as ‘the best ever’

Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas uses stats to side with LeBron James in the GOAT debate over longtime rival Michael Jordan.

Michael Jordan’s perennial rival calls LeBron James as ‘the best ever’

Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James gets GOAT vote from Michael Jordan's rival Isiah Thomas

LeBron James vs. Michael Jordan and the GOAT debate has not stopped in the last few years. It looks like it will continue until the Los Angeles Lakers superstar decides to hang up his sneakers. With fans divided, they do take notice when some of the greats of the game give their opinion. NBA Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas happens to be one of them.

The two-time NBA Champion sat down with Kory Woods of M Live to talk all things basketball. When the topic of LeBron James and the GOAT conversation came up, Thomas knew who he had in his mind.

YouTube video
I think when you look at, like I say, he’s (LeBron James) touched and he leads in almost every statistical category. Now, everyone has their favorites, but if the numbers don’t lie, the numbers don’t lie. And he definitely passes the eye test. So to me, he’s the best that I’ve ever seen from a team standpoint and also as a basketball player.
Isiah Thomas said

Thomas’ summation is based on the statistics that the Los Angeles Lakers superstar has put up in his 21 seasons in the NBA. That to him, makes James better than everyone else in the history of the league.

FS Video

It should be noted that Isiah Thomas and Michael Jordan have a rivalry dating back more than three decades. ‘The Last Dance’ documentary flared it even more, to the extent that the former point guard publicly asked Jordan to apologize. It is possible that the beef has influenced his choice.

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LeBron James vs. Michael Jordan is coming down to the wire

The GOAT conversation is only possible when either of the players are still playing. That is, fans and analysts cannot just jump into the conversation once LeBron James retires. Therefore, time is winding down on this conversation as the Lakers superstar is edging closer to retirement.

He has publicly acknowledged that his time in the NBA is coming down anytime soon. His latest contract and age do give an idea of when he would retire. But considering his conditioning and love for the game, it is hard to put a finger on the exact timeline. Even then, it is not likely to be more than three years.

By then, he will be 42, heading into 43. The only caveat is if his second son Bryce James has a chance to be drafted. Only then can fans expect LeBron James playing until the age of 43. Else, there is a good chance he will retire in a year or two and effectively end the GOAT debate.

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