When Draymond Green steps into the Michael Jordan versus LeBron James debate, people listen. The man who spent years battling James in the NBA Finals has seen greatness up close, and his GOAT pick might surprise some fans.
Green’s reasoning goes beyond the usual stats and rings argument, focusing instead on something that often gets overlooked: the supporting cast each legend had around them.
Does Draymond Green Name LeBron James or Michael Jordan As the G.O.A.T.?
Speaking to Kai Cenat on his livestream, Green picked LeBron James over the Chicago Bulls legend. He focused on the then-Cavaliers star’s teammates, whom he played alongside while leading Cleveland to the NBA championship.
Green is one of the players who has gone toe-to-toe against James on numerous occasions. Both players have had their share of matchups. The Warriors and Green have 53 total games played against James, 25 in the regular season and 27 in the playoffs.
The Golden State defensive powerhouse zeroed in on James’ ability to elevate players others had written off, using JR Smith as his prime example.
“People threw the towel in on JR Smith,” Green said. “As talented as he was, people threw the towel in on him … It’s not just JR, though. If you look at some of the guys he had to lead. JR had talent, no question, but people threw the towel in on him, though.”
“When people throw the towel in on you in this league, it’s over,” he added. “People threw the towel in on JR, and Bron was like, ‘Nah, this man can shoot and he can defend, I can do something with that.'”
The four-time NBA All-Star also had some blunt words for James’ former teammate Matthew Dellavedova. The point guard was part of the Cavs unit along with James and Kyrie Irving. However, Green was not a fan of the playmaker.
Draymond Green explains why LeBron is the GOAT
“MJ had Pippen, Bron was winning games with Matthew Delladova.. that guy STINKS, no disrespect.”
(h/t @big_business_ )
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— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) September 9, 2025
Green highlighted the contrast between Jordan’s supporting cast and what James worked with during his championship run with Cleveland. He noted that Jordan had the perfect one-two punch combo with Scottie Pippen. Together, the pair won six championships with the Bulls.
“MJ had [Scottie] Pippen, Bron was winning games with Matthew Dellavedova,” Green remarked. “That guy stinks, no disrespect.”
While Dellavedova and Smith were both players who added depth to the Cavaliers team, much of the load on both ends of the floor was carried by James. In his 76 regular-season games, the forward averaged 25.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 6.8 assists per contest. He cranked it up a few notches in the playoffs, averaging 26.3 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 7.6 assists.
The performance resulted in James’ third NBA title, and the first for Cleveland. Smith later reunited with James on the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2019-20 season. Dellavedova was acquired by the Bucks and was later traded back to the Cavaliers.
Green’s decision might draw mixed reactions from fans, but he’s made his case clear and shows no signs of backing down from his position.
