LeBron James recently broke basketball’s all-time scoring record. No player in the history of professional basketball has ever scored more points. It’s an impressive and remarkable achievement.
Some people hate LeBron and others love him. I always appreciated his work ethic and commitment to excellence. He’s a phenomenal basketball player, there’s no doubt about it. The big question: is LeBron James the greatest basketball player of all time?
It’s All Opinion and Speculation
First off, let me say this: at the end of the day, it’s all opinion and speculation. To quote LeBron, “It’s barbershop talk and everyone has their favorites.” Kobe Bryant once said that the GOAT conversation is all speculation – Kobe pointed out that he will work hard and do his best, and the rest is up to others to talk about.
The other disclaimer to make is that it’s very hard to generalize and compare. Michael Jordan pointed out that it’s difficult to compare eras. It’s easier to say who the greatest player is of each era. It’s also a little easier to say who the greatest player is at each position and role (the greatest rebounder, the greatest defender, the greatest shooter, etc.). For example, it’s arguable that Kobe Bryant is the greatest in terms of pure skill. Michael Jordan is the best in clutch situations. And LeBron is the king of longevity.
It’s important to point this out upfront: the truth is that there’s not really a need to compare anyone to anyone. To me, this discussion is more a celebration and recognition of talent. I view this as a fun conversation. Yes, at a surface level, the conversation is about who the greatest player is. With that said, the undercurrent of this conversation is more about being grateful for these world-class athletes. There’s no right or wrong answer here and everyone is entitled to their opinion and their favorite player.
Why LeBron James Could Be Considered the Greatest
I’ll put it out there: in my opinion, Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant is the greatest basketball player of all time. I’d put LeBron third.
My thought process: I value championships highly (it’s not my only metric, but it’s a big one). Basketball is a team sport and I like to look at how the individual’s greatness contributed to the team’s success. Jordan has six rings, Kobe five, and LeBron four. Bill Russell won eleven championships, but he played in an easier era than Jordan, Kobe, and LeBron, which is why Russell isn’t in the GOAT conversation.
If LeBron, in my own view, is the third greatest basketball player of all time, then why am I wondering if he could be the greatest? Because leadership is about seeing things from other people’s perspectives. Leadership is about looking at something from different angles as objectively and impartially as possible. Michael Jordan will always have a special place in my take on the GOAT conversation, especially with the way he beat the Utah Jazz. And Kobe outworked everyone. With that said, I’d like to consider another point of view and make the case for why LeBron is the greatest (and a lot of what makes LeBron great is similar to what makes Kobe and Jordan great, as they’re all in the same echelon):
Commitment To the Process
“I never cheated a process,” LeBron said in a recent interview with Michael Strahan.
There’s one thing I know for sure: the best people in any sport, industry, business, endeavor, etc. are committed to the process. While it’s important to have goals, it’s crucial to practice, train, and dedicate yourself to improvement. This means being self-disciplined. This means doing the work whether you feel like it or not. This means going to the gym, eating right, and taking care of yourself. This means translating your vision into daily habits. This means constantly practicing your shots and moves on the court. To LeBron’s credit, he worked his butt off to earn his success, committing himself to the process every step of the way.
Mindset to Be the Best (and Owning It)
After LeBron won the championship in 2016, he said in an interview that he was the greatest basketball player of all time. He faced some criticism for this. I love that he came out and said it, but a lot of people didn’t like it – especially with basketball being a team sport (for example, Muhammad Ali said he was the greatest, but boxing is a solo sport and so it was easier for Ali to say something like this).
After LeBron became the NBA’s leading scorer of all time in 2023, Shaquille O’Neal (Shaq) asked LeBron if LeBron considers himself to the best player of all time. It was a ballsy question from Shaq! It seems like LeBron learned his lesson, as this time he was more nuanced about it. LeBron pointed out that if he had to take any basketball player, he’d take himself. At the same time, he mentioned that there are a lot of great players in this conversation and he’ll leave it up to others to decide.
You don’t get to LeBron’s level without believing in yourself. What I love here is how LeBron confidently believes in himself and his abilities. He bets on himself. Many players have probably thought of themselves of the greatest, but never came out and said it. While I’m all for humility, I also love it when someone has the guts to own their worth. Well done, LeBron, for deciding to own it. I know that since I’ve owned my own worth, my speaker fees have increased.
One of the keys to success is to bet on yourself. There are always going to be people who don’t like you, but you can continue to believe in yourself. At the end of the day, LeBron backs up what he says with action. He walks the talk, and that’s why he deserves our respect.
LeBron Had Arguably Less Team Support Than Jordan (in Terms of Talent)
This is a big counter-argument to me saying that Jordan has more championship rings than LeBron. Jordan had Scottie Pippen, and Pippen is also one of the greatest players of all time. Jordan also had Dennis Rodman, who many say is the greatest rebounder of all time. Jordan, Pippen, and Rodman combined made what many say is the greatest team of all time.
Jordan played in the NBA for many years before he went on his championships streaks in the 90s, and this is because of Jordan’s supporting cast (that he didn’t have at first). Yes, Jordan was the leader and the main cause of the team’s success – and yet, he couldn’t have done it without Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman. While LeBron had an all-star supporting cast in Miami (Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh), LeBron played many years of his career for the Cleveland Cavaliers – and still won. When we look at the greatest team, we’re looking at the Bulls in the 90s. But if we are looking at the greatest individual, it very well could be LeBron.
In 2016, LeBron James was playing in the championship round against the Golden State Warriors, a dynasty team who had an all-star lineup with all-time greats. In 2016, the Warriors surpassed the Bulls for best regular season record. The Warriors were nearly impossible to beat.
Down three games to one, LeBron James led the Cavaliers to be the first team in NBA history to overcome a three games to one deficit. The Cavaliers WON, beating a dynasty team at their peak. To call this spectacular on LeBron’s part would be an understatement. It’s beyond amazing. I can’t blame him for saying he was the greatest player of all time after this unprecedented achievement. LeBron pulled this off with way less help than Jordan had. This is why we can consider LeBron as the greatest player of all time.
Yes, LeBron has lost more than half of the championships he’s played in. But when we look at LeBron as an individual talent, he’s arguably unmatched.
LeBron Cares About What the Right People Think (Leading by Example)
It can be hard to tune out critics. One time when LeBron was being interviewed by a reporter after an important playoff game, LeBron pointed out that he generally doesn’t care what other people think, but he does care what his teammates think. This was an awesome insight and response from LeBron.
Some players get too caught up in the outside noise (and I say that out of empathy). LeBron is able to take lots of criticism, and then tune it out and do his thing. It’s not about caring what no one thinks. It’s about caring what the right people think. Yes, LeBron is great as an individual. At the same time, behind the scenes, he is supporting his teammates and making them better. He cares about them and cares to know if he is being a good teammate or not. This is strong leadership.
A lot of people mix this up. A lot of people are publicly polished, and behind the scenes hypocritical and incongruent. LeBron doesn’t try to be overly polished his public, as he’s being himself. And then behind the scenes, he’s supportive and congruent. LeBron leads by example.
He Cares About Public Issues and Challenges
LeBron has spoken up about so many of our society’s challenges. This is perhaps the clearest area where he outshines Jordan. Jordan wasn’t as much active in social issues and social change – LeBron is. LeBron has faced criticism from our brutal society for his stances, including criticism from Donald Trump, yet LeBron persists. He refuses to stay quiet. He uses his voice for good and for change. I love how LeBron supported the powerful Black Lives Matter movement. LeBron uses his platform to raise awareness for important issues, and this takes guts. LeBron is iconic not only for his basketball talent, but also for his insights on social issues (this is similar to Muhammad Ali).
Who Do You Think Is the Greatest Basketball Player of All Time?
I’d love to know what you think! While I have Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant above LeBron in the GOAT conversation, I played Devil’s advocate in this post and shared how one could consider LeBron James as the best player to ever walk the court. I’d love to know who you think is the best basketball player of all time and why.
Jeff Davis is an award-winning author, most recently publishing The Power of Authentic Leadership: Activating the 13 Keys to Achieving Prosperity Through Authenticity. Connect with him on LinkedIn and follow him on Twitter. For three free books (The Power of Authentic Leadership, Reach Your Mountaintop, and Traveling Triumphs) in exchange for being added to his email list, email his Executive Assistant at meg@jeffdspeaks.com. Learn more about his story on his About page and feel free to check out his author page on Amazon. Also feel free to contact Jeff directly via jeff@jeffdspeaks.com. What Jeff does best is sharing his life experiences in a way that adds real value to others. Consider bringing him to speak as a mental health, authentic leadership, and/or resiliency expert at your next event.
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