The question of whether LeBron James or Michael Jordan is the G.O.A.T. took another turn in the never-ending debate between the two NBA legends. This time, the edge goes to Jordan, as his agent threw shade at James during a recent event.
David Falk, Jordan’s former agent, took the stage at Sports Business Journal’s 4se Conference in New York City on May 21. The event featured a Q&A session, covering topics from his days representing NBA legends to his current views on the world of sports.
David Falk’s Passive-Aggressive Comment on LeBron James
Falk, widely regarded as one of the most influential agents in sports history, didn’t hold back when asked about his all-time NBA rankings. His comments quickly made waves throughout the basketball world.
Unsurprisingly, Falk named Jordan as the greatest player of all time. But what came next was truly eye-opening. When asked who ranks second on his GOAT list, he named either Kareem Abdul-Jabbar or Kobe Bryant—leaving the Lakers superstar off the top tier.
When asked further about whether James is in his top ten, Falk replied, “Probably,” before dropping the quote that would go viral.
“I really like LeBron. But I think if Jordan had cherry-picked what teams he wanted to be on and two other superstars, he would’ve won 15 championships.”
Michael Jordan’s longtime agent, David Falk, doesn’t rank LeBron James as a top-two player of all time
“I really like LeBron, but I think if Jordan had cherry-picked what teams he wanted to be on and two other superstars, he would’ve won 15 championships.”
(Via @SBJ ) pic.twitter.com/Pmvz30a0JL
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) May 21, 2025
Does MJ’s Former Agent Have a Point?
This is the same old critique, just woven into a differently knitted response — the idea that Jordan would have never teamed up with any of his “rivals” in the game. Older fans of the game often revert to using two levels of criteria to argue why James will never catch Jordan in the GOAT debate.
First, they point to Jordan’s perfect NBA Finals record — six-for-six — never allowing a series to go to seven games and winning all six Finals MVPs. Second, they argue that James’ career has been shaped by hand-picked superteams, from the Miami Heat to the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Los Angeles Lakers.
While these points are based on truth, the context they lack doesn’t accurately paint the full picture. Jordan never had to “jump ship” to another team — yes. And he raised his game to a level that may never be reached. If the ten-time scoring champ didn’t retire, he realistically could have double-digit championships.
But the narrative that MJ did it all by himself overlooks the drafting of Scottie Pippen, a top-50 all-time player, the brilliance of coach Phil Jackson, the tutelage of Dean Smith at UNC, and the savvy roster and culture-building of GM Jerry Krause.
Conversely, James didn’t have the benefit of that kind of infrastructure when he entered the league. The NBA’s all-time leading scorer didn’t play alongside a top-50 player during his first stint with Cleveland. At just 22 years old, he carried a subpar roster to the NBA Finals.
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Due to the lack of surrounding talent, James took matters into his own hands and left for more suitable franchises primed for success, and helped usher in a new player movement era that continues to shape the league today.
The GOAT debate will likely never be settled, with Jordan and LeBron fans firmly drawing their lines in the sand. But if James wins a fifth title, it will surely give fans of the King more ammunition in the discussion.
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