The Eternal Debate: Who Is the Greatest of All Time?

The Unending Question

There is no topic discussed more than the famous debate over who the GOAT (Greatest of All Time) is in their sport. It is a rhetorical question filled with countless variables—many times, the candidates did not even play against each other. Some did not even play the same position, especially when determining the GOAT in a team sport. Currently there are no parameters to hold these legends to a GOAT standard.

LeBron or Jordan?

LeBron or Jordan, Jordan, or LeBron—the conversation older generations have with newer ones. Six rings against four, never losing in the Finals versus the NBA’s all-time leading scorerv. Arguments come and go, but one thing is for sure: there will never be a correct answer to this question. These arguments are not new; always the “old heads” will defend their stars compared to the contemporary ones. Wilt with Kareem, Bird with Jordan, Jordan and Kobe, the list goes on and on.

Basketball: A True Team Sport

Basketball has been and will always be a team sport, composed of five different positions: Point Guard, Shooting Guard, Small Forward, Power Forward, and Center—each tasked with various responsibilities on the floor. Even though the sport has evolved in recent years into a shooting-oriented league, every one of those positions remains vital for team success.

Michael Jordan and His Legacy

Michael Jeffrey Jordan played most of his career as a Shooting Guard. His competitive spirit, relentless work ethic, and will to win made him one of the most iconic athletes in sports history. Jordan’s dominance and his six championships with the Chicago Bulls established a standard that few have even approached. Jordan won two three peats with arguably the most dominant dynasty in NBA history.

LeBron James: The Versatile Superstar

LeBron James entered the league as more of a Power Forward, yet during his career, he has played all five positions—dominating in each of them. Only Magic Johnson claim to have played all five positions, and that was in a single game in the NBA Finals due to an injury to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Coming on his 23rd season in the league playing at the highest level is a sign of his commitment of taking care of his body as best as he can. This longevity has taken the “kid from Akron” to break the all-time scoring record held by the “captain” Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Kobe Bryant: The Closest to Jordan

The only Shooting Guard who ever came close to emulating “The Black Cat” was Kobe Bryant, mainly because he modeled much of his game after Jordan’s. Bryant’s footwork, mid-range mastery, and competitive drive made him one of the most complete players of his era. With the tragic passing of Bryant, Jordan said that he was like a minor brother to him.

Contrasting Styles of Greatness

Jordan’s and LeBron’s demeanors are vastly different. Jordan was a killer on the court—his only goal was to win. LeBron, on the other hand, approaches the game with a more cerebral mindset, often passing up the final shot to create a better one for a teammate.

Rings, Medals, and MVPs

Between them, they hold 10 NBA Championships, numerous Olympic Gold Medals, and multiple MVP awards. Yet comparing two players who did not play the same position is incredibly challenging, especially in a team sport where success depends on collective effort.

The Nostalgia Factor

Psychologically, nostalgia serves as a powerful emotional anchor—it allows people to find comfort in memories that feel safe, familiar, and idealized. When we look back to our past memories, our brains tend to filter out the discomforts and frustrations of the past while highlighting moments of joy, connection, and simplicity. This selective memory creates a rose-tinted version of “how things used to be,” without reminding us of how difficult some parts of the life used to be as well. These leading fans believe that the music, sports, or culture of their youth had more authenticity or soul compared to what exists now. It is not that the present lacks quality; it is that nostalgia has rewired how the past is emotionally stored and recalled. One thing is for sure, if both these GOATs were in their prime, I am not really sure who would go number 1 and who would go number 2 in the fantasy basketball draft as they would be the anchor for any team.

Furthermore, nostalgia is deeply tied to identity and belonging. The things people loved growing up—whether it is a classic sports era, especially when it comes to a certain athlete, a specific music genre, or an old video game—often become symbols of who they were and what shaped them. Revisiting those memories reinforces a sense of continuity in an ever-changing world, giving people emotional stability when modern trends or technologies feel unfamiliar or overwhelming. For “old head” fans, this means defending the past is not about taste—it is a psychological defense mechanism to preserve their personal history and the feelings of meaning tied to it.

Lessons from Other Sports

Nike had a series of soccer ads in the mid-2000s called “Jogo Bonito”, displaying the skills of their sponsored athletes. In one of the commercials, retired Manchester United star Eric Cantona described the sport as “fencing, a noble art.” During the commercial, Zlatan Ibrahimović and Cristiano Ronaldo dueled, outdoing each other with dazzling skills—a perfect example of how greatness can manifest differently across eras and styles.

Appreciating Greatness Before It Has Gone

We are arriving at the twilight of LeBron Raymond James’s career, and many fans are so caught up in the comparison debate that they fail to appreciate what they are witnessing. Soon, the basketball world will no longer see that behemoth dominating the court. Players like LeBron and Jordan make fans accustomed to greatness night after night—only when they are gone do, we truly understand how remarkable they were.

- Dan Shapiro, Gambling911.com