The LeBron James–Michael Jordan GOAT debate is back in the spotlight. This time, veteran analyst Michael Wilbon jumped into the conversation and didn’t hold back.
Wilbon weighed in on ESPN’s “Get Up,” responding to recent comments by Jordan’s former agent, David Falk. Falk had criticized James for “cherry-picking” the teams he played for during his career. He claimed that Jordan, who finished as a six-time NBA champion, would have won even more rings had he followed a similar path.
“I really like LeBron [James],” Falk said at a Sports Business Journal conference. “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.” The statement sparked backlash and quickly became a trending topic.
Wilbon initially called Falk a “provocateur” for the comment, but then gave his own take.
Michael Wilbon Gets Candid on Michael Jordan and LeBron James GOAT Debate
Wilbon didn’t hold back when comparing James to other legends. He argued that it’s wrong to automatically place James ahead of NBA icons like Magic Johnson, Bill Russell, and Kobe Bryant.
“I’m not gonna sit here and say that LeBron James has to be considered better than Magic Johnson … Bill Russell … Kobe Bryant … That’s garbage,” Wilbon said.
“I gotta say that LeBron James is better than Kobe Bryant? What? Put me in a grave first,” he added.
"I'm not gonna sit here and say that LeBron James has to be considered better than Magic Johnson … Bill Russell … Kobe Bryant … That's garbage."
—@RealMikeWilbon weighs in on the NBA GOAT conversation after David Falk's recent comments pic.twitter.com/ImXajFaiHY
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN)
Still, Wilbon made it clear he sees James as one of the all-time greats — not just in basketball, but in all sports. Still, he isn’t sold on ranking him above Lakers greats like Bryant or Johnson.
Earlier, James’ agent Rich Paul pushed back against Falk’s take. Speaking on “The Rich Eisen Show,” Paul said Jordan’s rise to greatness came under different conditions.
“Michael [Jordan] never had to leave the Chicago Bulls,” Paul said. He also pointed out that James has dealt with more scrutiny than Jordan.
“Michael’s never been the underdog in any Finals. Not one time. Michael never had a 24-hour, 365 news cycle. He never had shows built strictly to criticize him. People made millions of dollars to criticize LeBron James. That was their entire job.”
The debate has lit up social media, with fans of both players chiming in. Safe to say, this won’t be the last time we hear about it.
However, the one thing James undoubtedly has on his side is the future. James could add a fifth NBA Championship in 2026 if the Lakers put together a strong offseason.