Former NBA star Charles Barkley expressed his insight on the long-running debate on who the greatest of all time—the GOAT—of basketball is and for him, there should be no debate about it, and he calls the argument about the topic “weak journalism.”
The debate of who is the GOAT of basketball often boils down to three names: is Michael Jordan, the late Kobe Bryant, or LeBron James? For Chuck, Michael Jordan wins this one.
In his recent appearance at “The Steam Room” podcast, Charles offered his insights on the matter.
“I was kind of shocked the other night when Ernie said to stat,” Barkley said, talking about LeBron and Jordan’s GOAT argument. “I don’t get into the debate between Michael and LeBron because I think it’s weak journalism. When guys on television or radio are trying to get fools to call in the order.”
“They are both great-great-great-great-great,” he added. “Michael Jordan’s the best basketball player I ever played against. These young kids, they played against LeBron. I was caught off-guard last week when Ernie said [LBJ was just a few games behind Jordan in 30-point scoring games].”
Chuck went on: “And I was like, ‘And he’s played, like, seven more years?’ That’s an astonishing stat. As great as LeBron is, he’s still behind Michael Jordan in 30-point games, and he’s played seven more seasons. That is astonishing. Even if you think LeBron is the GOAT, you wouldn’t have known that.”
Charles Barkley on Meeting Michael Jordan: “I’ve Never Seen Anything Like It”
Charles Barkley and Michael Jordan both played from the same generation, encountering each other from their college basketball days all the way to their days of playing for the NBA. At one point, Chuck even won the MVP award over Michael Jordan, while Jordan beat Barkley at the NBA finals.
With their long history, Barkley recalled first meeting Jordan in person. The two first met during the 1984 U.S. Olympic basketball team tryouts. Both of them were already college basketball stars back then. Barkleyh was playing for Auburn, and Jordan was under the University of North Carolina.
Even back then, Chuck already saw that Jordan was meant to be a huge name in the sports and could reach further heights.
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Barkley said. “Michael is a little taller than me; he’s mentally tough, and he could outrun everybody and outjump everybody. I’ve never seen anything like it, and this [was] before he became Michael Jordan. This is in college. I said, ‘Coach, he is going to be amazing. I’m not the best; there’s this crazy [expletive] dude from North Carolina.”
Charles Barkley did not make the team, but Jordan made the team and even helped them win a gold medal.
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