'LeBron James is the GOAT': Stephen A. Smith Finally Acknowledges Lakers Star is Above Michael Jordan in the Greatest of All Time Debate

Stephen A. Smith, who has been a long proponent of Michael Jordan when it comes to the all-time GOAT, has shockingly sided with LeBron James while considering a major aspect of the game. Smith's definition of a GOAT takes into consideration a player who could play at a high level for the entirety of his career and distance himself from his peers despite them playing at a top level as well. Only a handful of candidates meet the conditions and among those at the forefront of the fictitious tag, the discussion largely remains about who is better between Michael Jordan and LeBron James.

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Stephen A. Smith Finally Attributes LeBron James as the GOAT

In a major admittance, Stephen A. has finally come to terms with the fact that LeBron James has remained consistent on the court longer than anyone else in the present as well as past scenarios.

A point Brian Windhorst made prompted Smith to reevaluate the GOAT debate. “There’s nobody who has been as good for as long, meaning longevity, a sustained level of pristine excellence. LeBron James is the GOAT—in that category,” he stressed.

After years of questioning LeBron's greatness, Stephen A. Smith has finally agreed that LeBron's claim to greatness is his longevity, which he believes should put a stop to the GOAT discussion. LeBron and Jordan are definitely the greatest but in two distinct parts of the game.

Smith may have been able to accept LeBron's unrivalled longevity after listening to Windhorst, but he was not convinced when Shannon Sharpe presented a similar argument.

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What Did Stephen A. Smith Say Earlier?

Smith recently stated on First Take that Jordan could have easily matched LeBron's success in the NBA today. He even said that MJ might have played 20 years in today's league after Sharpe praised the 40-year-old star's recent performance.

“With the rule changes, no hand-checking, physicality having diminished so much, I mean please,” Smith responded to Sharpe’s assertion that MJ never could have achieved the longevity that LeBron has. Considering Jordan only played 15 years with two retirements in between, the Hall of Fame tight end made a valid point.