Despite breaking several records and leading almost all the scoring charts, LeBron James hasn't leapfrogged Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant in the GOAT debate. This is the opinion of a former two-time NBA all-star, who has hailed Jordan as "the greatest" of all time.
Stephon Marbury Keeps LeBron Third In His GOAT Ranking
Stephon Marbury, the head coach of Beijing Royal Fighters, has chimed in on the GOAT debate and made it known that he considers Michael Jordan above all the others. While for most of the former players, enthusiasts, and other members of the NBA world, the debate mostly consists of two individuals, Jordan being the first and LeBron James as second. However, Marbury has distinct views and sees Kobe Bryant as the best after Jordan. He gave LeBron third place in the trifecta of NBA legends.
“Let’s not make no mistake, I think Michael Jordan is the greatest and best basketball player to ever touch a basketball.” Marbury told Sports Seriously.
The former point guard highlighted that he does not usually see anybody in the same wavelength as Jordan but proceeded to praise Bryant's identical playstyle. Marbury praised Bryant's scoring ability, citing how difficult it is to even score 40, 50, or 60, let alone 80, in a single game. Based on the analysis, he formed and disseminated his rankings.
“I keep trying to tell people… Jordan, Kobe, and then LeBron,” Marbury said while lowering his hand each time. “It could possibly go a different way with LeBron.”
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Why He Sees Kobe Above LeBron?
Though, Marbury and LeBron had indulged in some heated battles with each other in the past the two-time NBA all-star underscored that his opinion has nothing to do with it as Marbury has grown to respect the King over the years.
However, when questioned why he has kept Kobe above LeBron, to this the veteran explained that his opinion has formed after witnessing the playing style of Jordan and Kobe. Stephon admitted that the pair were his favourite to watch, and the toughest he had come across on the court.