After what the entire basketball world has witnessed from LeBron James this year, it’s hard not to join in on the GOAT conversation. Even Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr shared his two cents’ worth when asked about the comparison between The King and the legendary Michael Jordan.
Having witnessed the greatness of both James and Jordan first hand — the former as an opponent and the latter as a teammate with the Chicago Bulls for five seasons — Kerr is in a great position to compare these two extraordinary human beings.
The 52-year-old did not give a direct answer on who he felt was better, but he did acknowledge their unquestionable greatness.
“They’re the two greatest that I’ve ever seen,” said Kerr. “I can’t speak for the guys in the ‘60s, but what LeBron is doing right now, nobody’s ever done. That doesn’t mean he’s better than Michael, you can have that debate all day long.”
Kerr went on to identify LeBron’s perimeter shooting as one of the major factors that allowed him to elevate his game to a whole new level.
“But sometime in the last for years or so, LeBron learned how to shoot, changed everything,” added the coach.
Despite coming so close to stealing Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday night, James and his Cleveland Cavaliers ultimately fell short. Nonetheless, this series still has a long way to go and should the Cavs ultimately succeed in defeating the heavily-favored Golden State Warriors in this best-of-seven affair, more credibility would definitely be added to the LeBron-over-MJ argument.
