The GOAT debate has followed the NBA for decades, but in the modern era it has narrowed to two names: Michael Jordan and LeBron James.
As James continues to rewrite the record books in his 23rd season, the conversation has only grown louder, and now Lakers head coach JJ Redick has added his perspective.
The Lakers are currently on an extended road trip, with one of their stops taking them to Chicago, the city where Jordan built his legacy.
Ahead of that matchup, Redick spoke about the two icons and explained why he believes the debate does not need a single winner.
“I’ve always said the greatest players in any era would be great in any era. It’s hard to compare eras and play styles and to me it’s even hard to compare stats,” Redick said speaking to Spectrum SportsNet. “Jordan is 1, Bron is 1, Jordan is 2, LeBron is 2. However you wanna do it, to me they’re the two greatest players of all time. I think the biggest thing is just you hear stories about how LeBron prepares and never was his teammate, so didn’t get to experience it firsthand but now being around him the last year and half he’s a maniac. He’s maniacal about his approach and his preparation and every single day is centered around, ‘How do I prepare my body and my mind to play the next game?’ And I said the other night it’s the perfect example for any NBA basketball player of how to approach their career and their craft and that’s the reason he’s been able to do it for so long and do it at such a high level.”
Jordan’s dominance defined a generation, while James has stretched excellence across more than two decades.
As Redick sees it, the argument does not need resolution, both players have already earned their place at the very top.
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