Former Clippers broadcaster who watched Michael Jordan play says LeBron James is the GOAT, and it’s ‘not even close’

Peter Dewey
3 Min Read
Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Former Los Angeles Clippers broadcast Ralph Lawler believes that Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James is the greatest basketball player of all time.

Lawler believes the gap between James and the next best player (in many people’s eyes it would be Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan) is “not even close.”

Even though Lawler was a broadcaster for one of the Lakers’ biggest rivals, he clearly appreciates all that James has accomplished in his NBA career.

A four-time NBA champion, James has been to the NBA Finals 10 times in his career, including a eight-year stretch where he made the Finals in each season.

He’s won a title with three different franchises (the Lakers, Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers), and he became the NBA’s all-time leading scorer during the 2022-23 season, breaking Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s record.

The accolades for James are extremely impressive. He’s a 19-time All-Star, 19-time All-NBA selection, four-time league MVP and four-time NBA Finals MVP.

This season, James is in his 21st NBA campaign, and he’s still playing at an extremely high level.

The 38-year-old is averaging 25.3 points, 7.5 rebounds and 6.7 assists per game while shooting 55.1 percent from the field and 40.5 percent from 3-point range. The fact that James is able to produce at this level – at this age – puts him in very rare territory when it comes to NBA longevity.

The Lakers star is looking to add to his legacy in the 2023-24 season, and he already has a bit by winning the NBA’s first ever In-Season Tournament. The Lakers defeated the Indiana Pacers in the championship game to win the title.

The franchise will hang a banner for the title in Crypto.com Arena.

After making the Western Conference Finals last season, the Lakers are hoping to get back to the NBA Finals for the second time in James’ tenure with the team.

The Lakers won the NBA Finals with James in the 2019-20 season in the league’s Orlando, Fla. bubble amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

James was the NBA Finals MVP that season, but he’d certainly love to earn another title (which would be his fifth) in the 2023-24 season.

It’s great to see Lawler appreciate the greatness that James has displayed in his NBA career, even though he plays for a rival of the Clippers.

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Peter is a graduate of Quinnipiac University where he covered the MAAC and college basketball for three years. He has worked for NBC Sports, the Connecticut Sun and the Meriden Record-Journal covering basketball and other major sports. Follow him on Twitter @peterdewey2.