The Los Angeles Lakers are just weeks away from starting their 2022-23 regular season, and superstar LeBron James is on the cusp of having what could very well be a history-making season.
This season, James could become the all-time leading scorer in NBA history by passing Lakers legend Kareem-Abdul Jabbar. He could also pass fellow Lakers icon Magic Johnson in the all-time assists category.
If he accomplishes both goals, they will serve as just more ammunition for those that claim James is the greatest basketball player to ever play the game. Metta Sandiford-Artest appears to be amongst those who believe that James does stand above the rest in the annals of NBA history.
He said as much in a recent Twitter post regarding James.
I’m super excited about the @NBA this year. @KingJames legacy is cemented . Officially the greatest player to ever play. Really hard to say that because I’m an MJ fan. I just want to get it out the way . I’ll repeat it again when it’s officially announced
— Metta (@MettaWorld37) October 3, 2022
At this point, it is a forgone conclusion that James will go down as one of the best to ever play the game. It really isn’t much of a debate anymore. However, the debate about whether or not he has surpassed Chicago Bulls great Michael Jordan rages on.
For many, James has eclipsed Jordan. For an equally large group, James has still not done enough to claim the crown. There are certainly many who believe James will never do enough to truly surpass Jordan.
Right now, the biggest argument has to do with championship rings. Jordan still has James beat in that category, as he has six rings while James has four. Beyond that, at 37 years old, it is unclear how much longer James really has in order to seriously compete for a title.
James has won one title with the Lakers since joining the squad back in 2018, but he has also missed the playoffs twice. James and the Lakers missed the playoffs last season despite entering the campaign seen as title contenders. The Lakers will absolutely look to bounce back from that disappointment this season.
Though the Lakers are nowhere near the radar when it comes to title contenders at the moment, that could all change quickly if James and superstar teammate Anthony Davis can stay healthy.
If James can win a fifth title this season, the argument that he is the greatest of all time would only grow stronger.
