Julius Erving, a legendary NBA player, weighed in on the ongoing debate about who is the greatest of all time (GOAT) between Michael Jordan and LeBron James. During an appearance on Undisputed in 2017, Erving stated that individuals don’t win championships, teams do.
He further emphasized that getting to the NBA Finals as many times as LeBron James has, which at the time was eight, was a truly incredible achievement, regardless of the win-loss record.
Erving’s statement holds a lot of weight given his impressive record of winning championships. He won with the Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA, as well as notching two ABA championships in the 70s. While winning is the most important thing, getting to the NBA Finals multiple times is also a great accomplishment, and LeBron’s record of ten Finals appearances speaks for itself.
Since Erving’s statement, LeBron has added two more NBA Finals appearances, winning one more championship and another Finals MVP award. However, despite his impressive resume, many still hold his 4-6 Finals record against him in the GOAT debate.
While being the GOAT in a team sport requires a combination of different factors, including individual performance and team success, LeBron still has time left in his career to make a case for himself over Michael Jordan. As long as he continues to perform at a high level and leads his team to success, the debate between the two will continue to rage on.
Legends of the Game: A Look at the Unmatched Accolades of LeBron James and Michael Jordan
LeBron James and Michael Jordan are two of the greatest basketball players of all time, each with a long list of accolades to their names. Jordan was a six-time NBA champion, a five-time MVP, a ten-time scoring champion, and a 14-time All-Star. He was also a ten-time All-NBA First Team selection, nine-time All-Defensive First Team selection, and a two-time Olympic gold medalist.
LeBron James, on the other hand, has four NBA championships, four Finals MVP awards, four regular-season MVP awards, and two Olympic gold medals. He has also been selected to the All-NBA First Team 13 times, All-Defensive First Team five times, and has led the league in assists once. James is also the NBA’s all-time playoff scoring leader and has been an All-Star 17 times.
Both Jordan and James have achieved incredible feats throughout their careers and are often compared when it comes to the title of the Greatest of All Time. But regardless of the outcome of this debate, it’s clear that these two basketball legends have left an indelible mark on the sport and will forever be remembered as some of the greatest to ever play the game.
