The ongoing debate over the greatest basketball player of all-time between Michael Jordan and LeBron James continues to rage on. LeBron becoming the first player to reach 50,000 career points in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 21-point victory over the New Orleans Pelicans only added another point in favor of James, who continues to be a dominant force in his 22nd NBA season.
LeBron was just named Western Conference Player of the Month and just as impressive as his offense has been, his increased effort and focus on defense has been even more astounding and has helped carry the Lakers during this seven game win streak. And the fact that James is still performing at such a high level has even gotten one of the biggest Jordan defenders to make an admission.
On ESPN’s First Take, analyst Stephen A. Smith was forced to admit that even though he feels Jordan at his best is still better than anyone else, even he can not match the level of sustained greatness James has shown over the course of his career:
"Jordan at his best is the greatest that I have ever seen. But Jordan wasn't that good for that long."
—@stephenasmith on LeBron James reaching 50K combined career points 👀 pic.twitter.com/lXWHlas5v2
— First Take (@FirstTake) March 5, 2025
One of the reasons why the GOAT debate will never end is because everyone has their own idea of what is most important. Some look at it through the lens of measuring players at their absolute peak, while others focus on accolades and longevity or flat out overall skill level. There are arguments for many in all these categories, except for this one as there is simply no one who measures up to James.
So many continue to wait for LeBron to start falling off, but the Lakers superstar continues to defy everything that we have come to know. At this rate, James is likely to garner some MVP votes and will undoubtedly make another All-NBA team, perhaps even a first team selection.
For Smith, one of the most staunch Jordan defenders on the planet, to make this admission says everything that needs to be said about what LeBron is doing this season. And the biggest beneficiaries are the Lakers as they continue to show that they very well could be in line for a deep postseason run.
Lakers’ LeBron James discusses reaching 50,000 career points
No player in basketball history had reached 50,000 career points until LeBron James did so. The Lakers superstar sits alone with that milestone and spoke about his feelings on the accomplishment after the fact.
“It’s a lot of points. A lot, to be honest,” James said. “To be honest, obviously, the first thing that comes to mind is where I’m from. Just picking up the game when I was a little kid and just having my love for the sport. I was hoping that someday that I would be able to play at the highest level. I’ve been able to do that and really enjoy my career. So, it was definitely an honor. It’s pretty cool to see that.”
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