Alright, alright, let’s talk about this basketball G.O.A.T. thing. You know, the “Greatest Of All Time.” Folks keep jabberin’ on and on about it, so I figured, why not throw my two cents in? Don’t expect no fancy words from me, I just say what I see.
Now, they got these fellas, writers and whatnots, makin’ lists and rankings. The Athletic, they call themselves, puttin’ together a list of the top 100 basketball players ever. “The Basketball 100,” they named it. Sounds all official and important, but to me, it’s just a bunch of names on paper. Means nothin’ if you ain’t seen ’em play with your own eyes.
One name keeps poppin’ up, though. Michael Jordan. Folks say he’s the best there ever was. And yeah, I seen him play a bit back in the day, on that little box in the corner of the room. The tee-vee, they call it. He was somethin’ else, that’s for sure. Jumpin’ and flyin’ like a bird, puttin’ that ball in the hoop like it was nothin’. They say he scored somethin’ like 32 points a game, and grabbed more than six rebounds, too. That’s a whole lot, let me tell ya.
But then there’s this other fella, LeBron James. He’s been playin’ forever, it seems. Strong as an ox, and fast as a rabbit. He ain’t just scorin’ points, he’s passin’ the ball, too, helpin’ his teammates. A real team player, that one. And he’s been at it for a long, long time. More than 20 years, they say! That’s like, half a lifetime! How his knees ain’t give out yet is beyond me.
So, who’s the real G.O.A.T.? Well, that’s where things get tricky. The Athletic folks, they did a poll, asked a bunch of players who they thought was the best. And guess what? Jordan barely edged out LeBron. Got somethin’ like 45% of the votes, while LeBron got 42%. See? It’s close! Real close.
- Michael Jordan, they say he was like a whirlwind, unstoppable.
- LeBron James, he’s like a steady rock, always there, always performin’.
It’s like tryin’ to decide whether you like apples or oranges better. Both are good, just different. Jordan, he was flashy, exciting. Every game was a show. LeBron, he’s more… steady. Always good, always reliable. He’s been doin’ it for so long it’s hard to ignore.
I heard some folks say Jordan didn’t play as long as LeBron. That’s true, I guess. LeBron’s been playin’ forever. But Jordan, he won a bunch of championships in a row. That’s gotta count for somethin’, right? And the way he played… it was just different. He had this aura, this… magic, almost. Made you believe he could do anything.
But then again, LeBron’s been doin’ amazing things for so long, and he’s changed the game in his own way. He’s strong, he’s smart, and he makes everyone around him better. That’s somethin’ special, too.
So, at the end of the day, who’s the G.O.A.T.? I don’t know. Maybe it’s Jordan. Maybe it’s LeBron. Maybe it’s somebody else entirely. It all depends on what you value. You like flash and excitement? Maybe Jordan’s your guy. You like consistency and all-around greatness? Maybe LeBron’s your pick. Me? I just enjoy watchin’ good basketball. And both of them were darn good.
But if you push me, and you say, “Old lady, you gotta pick one!” Well… I guess I’d lean towards Jordan. Just somethin’ about the way he played… like nothin’ I ever seen. But don’t go quotin’ me on that. Tomorrow I might change my mind! It ain’t easy bein’ a judge, I tell ya.
Anyways, that’s my take on this whole G.O.A.T. thing. Just an old woman’s ramblings, nothin’ more. You kids can argue about it all you want. Me? I’m gonna go make myself a cup of tea.
Tags: basketball, GOAT, Michael Jordan, LeBron James, NBA, greatest of all time, The Athletic, players, scoring, rebounds, championships, longevity
