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Over the last few years, the GOAT debate in the NBA has been all anyone can talk about, from the fans to the media to podcasts about professional basketball, with the consensus being it is a two-man race between Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan and LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers.
At this point in time, many still believe that it is incredibly tough to top what Jordan was able to accomplish in the Windy City, as he is still two championships rings ahead of James, which might never change if things keep going the way they’re going for the Lakers superstar.
However, James does make a compelling argument with all the accolades and records he’s racked up over the course of his two-plus decades in the league, as he is now the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.
Despite everything that James has done during his time in the league, the fact remains that few have really feared the perennial All-Star on the court, as he is as talented as they come but not quite the relentless competitor when compared to Jordan or the late great Kobe Bryant.
On “The Big Podcast with Shaq,” the former Lakers superstar talked about the differences between James and both Jordan and Kobe, with the four-time NBA champion claiming no one ever feared James, via NBACentral.
“I’ve heard players say, including myself, ‘I feared [Michael Jordan].’ I’ve heard players in [Mario Chalmers’] generation say they feared Kobe,” O’Neal said. “I’ve never really heard any player say they feared LeBron.”
Shaq says he never heard a player say they feared LeBron James
“I’ve heard players say, including myself, ‘I feared [Michael Jordan].’ I’ve heard players in [Mario Chalmers’s] generation say they feared Kobe. I’ve never really heard any player say they feared LeBron.”
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) March 13, 2024
O’Neal isn’t wrong, as James has never been feared in the same way that Jordan and Bryant were because they’re completely different players and attacked the game in different ways.
If James had won even five rings, which would match Bryant, this probably wouldn’t be a sticking point, but the debate rages on.
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