Over the last few years, the Michael Jordan and LeBron James comparisons have been ‘a thing and Jordan winning six championships have become the measuring stick for James’ greatness in today’s NBA game.
“I think it has always happened,” NBA Hall of Famer, Julius Erving told me on the Scoop B Radio Podcast.
“I think people always make comparisons to people who are done. LeBron may play another six years LeBron may play one year we don’t really know.”
Erving doesn’t think NBA should state who is the latest and greatest.
“I think it’s the fans argument, not the player’s argument,” he said. “So I stay away from it. My all-time greatest player is Kareem Abdul Jabbar.”
Added Dr. J:
“I think when you add up the numbers and add up the year’s nobody has contributed more to the NBA history or pro basketball history. It’s very subjective. You say: ‘Michael or LeBron who was better’ or who was the greatest, the GOAT, that is for the fans to argue about.”
Erving also says that these ‘best ever’ arguments have gone on forever. He remembers those conversations being had even when he played.
“My early years I was inspired by players and comparisons were made with Elgin Baylor, probably number one, Connie Hawkins; next in that lineage,” he said.
“There were other guys that were high jumpers, “Jumpin’ Johnny” Green, those were the three that came up the most often in terms of the comparisons; wasn’t exactly the same as theirs [MJ and LeBron] but there were definitely real comparisons to be made.”
