LeBron James’ former teammate takes shot at Michael Jordan’s longevity in GOAT debate – “We talk about his son”

The NBA GOAT debate between Michael Jordan and LeBron James is one that creates quite a bit of conversation within league circles.

The way NBA vet Michael Beasley, who played alongside LeBron during the future Hall of Famer’s stint with the Miami Heat, sees things, fans only focus on the highs of Jordan’s career, whereas we’ve seen how LeBron has had to grow as a player to be as great as he is.

During an appearance on Moshe Popack’s “Common Denominator” podcast on Wednesday, Beasley discussed a wide range of topics, including the NBA’s greatest of all time debate.

Trending

When asked about who he would say is the best, Beasley said:

"LeBron. 100%."

Asked why he thought so, Beasley said:

"OK. My argument is a reasonable one. I started with the one everybody know, the points, the longevity, all that. With Jordan, they don't talk about the negativity, the playoff losses or he actively sought out Dennis Rodman, who was already a two-time champion. They don't tell the story of him having to learn the championship pedigree."

Beasley, who was the No. 2 pick in the 2008 draft, then discussed why he thought "King James" is the GOAT over Michael Jordan.

"LeBron James has given us the opportunity to be witnesses," Beasley said. "We watched his good, his bad, we watched his ups, his downs so long. And he's been so great that we don't have anything to say, you know, so we now talk about his son."

(Timestamp: 7:30)

As Beasley also pointed out, by the time Dennis Rodman joined Michael Jordan in Chicago, he was already a two-time NBA champ and had established himself as one of the best rebounders in the league.

While some critics argue that LeBron James can't be on the same level as Jordan in the GOAT debate because he switched teams multiple times and recruited stars, Beasley seems to believe that's hypocritical when the Bulls acquired Rodman for their second three-peat.

Michael Jordan's former agent snubs LeBron James while discussing the NBA GOAT

While the NBA's GOAT debate largely comes down to LeBron James and Michael Jordan, some fans argue for James' longevity and career accomplishments, and others contend Jordan's accolades, two-way play and NBA Finals record give him the edge. However, Jordan's former agent offered another take.

While speaking at a Sports Business Journal event, David Falk, who served as Jordan's agent during some of the biggest moments of the Hall of Famer's career, said that he considers Jordan the greatest player of all time and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar the second greatest player of all time.

In defense of his answer, Falk explained how he thinks it's important to not only look at championships but also how players won. In the case of Jordan vs. LeBron, he believes Jordan's decision to grind it out in Chicago should count for something.

"LeBron is in my top 10, I really like LeBron," Falk said, "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.”

Considering all indications are that LeBron will return for the 2025-26 season, he still has a chance to move one step closer to Michael Jordan's six championships.

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback

About the author

Evan Bell

Evan Bell is a journalist specializing in the NBA and NHL at Sportskeeda, whose love for the game stems from a childhood spent watching the Chicago Bulls. He has been there through their highs and lows, from the Jordan era to the exciting Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah years.

Evan finds the 82-game season and the intensity of playoff basketball exhilarating, and he also revels in the offseason drama. Phil Jackson stands out as his favorite coach, whom he admires for his composed leadership and success in managing dynamic personalities like Dennis Rodman.

To deliver top-quality content, Evan fact-checks information while diligently keeping up with the action year-round.

When he's not writing, Evan follows tennis and Greek football, and also plays basketball and tennis.

Know More