Isiah Thomas Disputes Michael Jordan's GOAT Status

The NBA’s never-ending GOAT debate found fresh fuel this week, and it came from one of the most unlikely voices in basketball history, Isiah Thomas.

“I know we talk about Jordan, but he leads in no statistical basketball category. But yet there’s an argument about him being the best,” Thomas said appearing on FanDuel TV’s Run It Back. “But then you look at Kareem and you look at LeBron, those guys lead in several statistical categories. But yet we say somebody else is better and I’m just giving you the evidence…

“This is what I don’t understand about your era. You guys are playing with arguably the greatest player to ever play, and excuse me when I say this, but y’all treat him like he’s nothing,” Thomas said. “Instead of pumping your era up, y’all go back and say our era was the greatest. You know, ‘Michael Jordan was the greatest, nobody could ever be greater than Michael Jordan,’ right? Ok, and then you turn around, and in your era, LeBron James is sitting there holding every single basketball record. I mean, every single one of them,” he said. “And, you’re looking at a Kevin Durant and you’re looking at a Steph Curry, but then when y’all talk about the greatest, y’all talk about the guy that gave you some shoes.”

Isiah Thomas doesn’t understand why Michael Jordan is still in GOAT convos with LeBron 🤯

“Y’all treat LeBron like he ain’t noting…when y’all talk about the greatest, y’all talk about the guy that gave you some shoes.”@MichelleDBeadle | @boogiecousins | @ChandlerParsons pic.twitter.com/tcaFT0lGJc

— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) January 8, 2026

The comment quickly made waves, especially given Thomas’ complicated history with Michael Jordan.

That history matters. Jordan never lost in the NBA Finals, but he also did not reach one until Detroit’s dominance faded.

Meanwhile, LeBron James has carried multiple rosters to the league’s biggest stage, often with less help, while climbing to the top of nearly every major statistical category.