In the opinion of former Boston Celtics player Cedric Maxwell, Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James ranks as the greatest basketball player ever for more than simply his incredible athletic ability.
Maxwell appeared on the NBC Sports Boston program “Arbella Early Edition” and was asked about Michael Jordan speaking out about the current racial crisis.
Noting (at approximately the 5:10 mark) that he would likely face criticism for his opinion, Maxwell then offered his reasoning why James should now rank above Jordan.
“LeBron James is the GOAT now,” Maxwell said. “He’s the GOAT because, not only on the basketball side, but social issues. He’s been involved in every social issue that we look at.
“When somebody says, ‘Shut up and dribble’ — LeBron James has put his money where his mouth is, and that to me resonates. That’s why I think more of our players and more NBA people need to step up and find that same courage.”
Jordan has faced severe criticism over the past few decades about his unwillingness to engage in controversial issues, preferring to stay quiet about such topics.
During that span, a host of race-related events have taken place, with the perception being that Jordan was looking to avoid losing endorsement money by not taking a stand on any volatile issue.
In James’ earliest days with the Cleveland Cavaliers, he also avoided touchy subjects. However, over the past decade, James has become a very vocal presence on many dicey topics, regardless of the potentially negative ramifications.
Maxwell’s reference to the “Shut up and dribble” retort to James stems from early 2018 comments that James made regarding President Donald Trump.
Fox News’ Laura Ingraham then made the demand for James to be quiet, which he ignored. Soon after, he used the phrase as the title of a documentary that he produced.
The 35-year-old James may not offer much response for Maxwell’s high praise, since the Lakers are getting set to resume their 2019-20 schedule at the end of July. Still, James no doubt has respect for the opinion, coming from a fellow NBA Finals MVP.
