Who is the best player in history? The debate is still raging among fans, especially between those of Michael Jordan and LeBron James. In 2020, Magic Johnson had however released a declaration which would have something to make everyone agree. A kind of compromise between the two legends.
A priori, we will never have a definitive answer to the discussion of the best player of all time. So many subjective factors have to be taken into account that a neutral analysis seems impossible. Two clients stand out from the pack, namely Michael Jordan and LeBron James, but it is difficult to decide between them. Different positions, different eras, different style of play… In other words, it seems complicated to seriously place them against each other.
Rather than determining which of the two is better than the other, some seek to identify the areas where they are unbeatable. This is precisely what Magic Johnson did when he was on SportsCenter in May 2020. At the time, the King was on his way to his fourth league title with the Lakers and the former point guard had very glowing words for him, especially for his versatility. On the other hand, when it came to deciding on the question of the GOAT, it was His Airness that had its favor:
Magic: “Jordan is the best, LeBron the most complete”
Let’s not take anything away from LeBron James because LeBron James is a great basketball player, one of the best players of all time. LeBron James, when you think of a versatile basketball player, is the best of all time. As a versatile basketball player. But when you say “Who’s the greatest of all time?” is still Michael Jordan.
LeBron James’ chapter isn’t over yet, he still has some basketball to play. He may have a chance to catch him later if he can win more titles. But until then, at the end of the day, they’re both great, they play the game the right way, they’ve made their teammates better, and they’ve won titles.
Fans of the King will not necessarily appreciate this comment from the Hall of Famer, but it is clear that his reasoning holds water. The fact that he considers himself less complete than LBJ says a lot about his admiration for him, by the way. That being said, having played against MJ during his career and seeing him dominate in his prime, the five-time champion can only kneel before the former Bull, by his own words.
Magic Johnson says it cash, he thinks Michael Jordan is the GOAT if you consider a player as a whole. On the other hand, in terms of versatility, LeBron James is untouchable in his eyes, even for him. That says all the good he thinks of the winger.
