With Los Angeles Lakers star forward LeBron James recently passing Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan in career 30-point games in the NBA, the G.O.A.T. (greatest of all time) debate between James and Jordan remains a frequent topic of conversation.
James’ individual and collective accolades coupled with his almost otherworldly longevity all make for a compelling case for the 40-year-old as the greatest basketball player of all time. However, former Bulls guard Ron Harper appeared to laugh at a post on X that declared James as the G.O.A.T.
lol
— Ron Harper (@HARPER04_5) January 5, 2025
Harper also reminded one user who labeled James as a better scorer than Jordan about which of the two players “won more.” Jordan won six championships during his time with the Bulls and went 6-0 in the NBA Finals, while James is still seeking his fifth ring and has come up short in the championship series on numerous occasions.
Who won more?
— Ron Harper (@HARPER04_5) January 5, 2025
Curiously, Harper did imply in another post that the G.O.A.T. debate is highly subjective and that there’s “enough room for everyone.”
It’s enough room for everyone and ever era the GOAT 🐐 is your guys no one is wrong… https://t.co/u6IgJxbzht
— Ron Harper (@HARPER04_5) January 5, 2025
After James scored 30 points against the Atlanta Hawks earlier this week to pass Jordan in career 30-point games, Harper didn’t seem too impressed by the achievement.
Who really cares?
— Ron Harper (@HARPER04_5) January 4, 2025
Maybe Harper is biased against James because he was fortunate enough to play with Jordan on the Bulls during his NBA career. He spent five seasons with Chicago and was a member of the Bulls when the team won three consecutive NBA titles from 1996 through 1998.
By the time James was drafted with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, Harper was already retired from the league. Harper’s final season in the NBA came with the Lakers in the 2000-01 campaign. He capped off his pro tenure by winning two rings with Los Angeles, making him a five-time NBA champion.
The clock is ticking on James’ time to win a fifth ring in the NBA before his career comes to a close, but he has the Lakers in a solid position in the Western Conference almost midway through the 2024-25 regular season. Los Angeles has a record of 20-14 at the moment and sits as the No. 5 seed in the conference.
James and the Lakers can increase their current winning streak to three games with a win over the Houston Rockets on Sunday in what will be a road game for Los Angeles.
