“Cannot Leave Off LeBron James”: Stephen A Smith Strikes at NBA Legend for His All-Time Top-10, Which Also Excludes Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal

A top 10 all-time list is never easy to name in the NBA. With the talent that the NBA has possessed over 76 years, picking just 10 players can truly be a herculean task. However, since it is mostly based on perspective, people do have their say about a list. Many players may have made a compelling argument for themselves to be on a list but the all-time scoring leader in the NBA, LeBron James definitely has the strongest claim. James is often regarded as one of the greatest to ever play in the NBA. His remarkable achievements over the years have elevated The Kid From Akron to legendary status.

The King’s Hall of Fame career, however, was not enough to impress an NBA legend. His all-time top ten list excludes LeBron James, along with several other legends such as Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant. This caught the attention of veteran analyst Stephen A. Smith.

Stephen A. Smith bashes NBA legend for excluding LeBron James

LeBron James is undoubtedly one of the most gifted athletes in the NBA. In a career spanning more than 20 years, the Los Angeles Lakers forward has not only achieved tremendous success but also built an unparalleled legacy in the league. However, Philadelphia 76ers legend Julius Erving did not seem impressed.

Erving named his top 10 all-time list in a recent interview. Much to everyone’s surprise, the list did not contain a single player that was active in the past decade. Dr. J snubbed significant names in the list, along with the likes of LeBron James.

Stephen A. Smith, however, was not having it after his favorite player was ignored.

The veteran analyst discussed the list on ESPN’s First Take recently. “I don’t care what players you mentioned, you cannot have an all-time top 10 list and LeBron James is out,” he said.

He added, “I’ve got LeBron James as a top two player all time, what do you mean he’s not on the list….LeBron James has been in the league for 20 years, he played more years than most of the players Dr. J had on the list so certainly, experience is not an issue there.”

He further strengthened his claim, saying, “LeBron James with what he brings to the table is one of the top two or three players in the history of basketball, anybody that knows basketball knows that.”

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Unsurprisingly, the veteran analyst strongly argued against his favorite player’s exclusion from the list. But Dr. J had some other notable exclusions too.

Dr. J made some questionable choices

Julius Erving was a dominant force back in his day. Entering the NBA after the NBA-ABA merger, Erving had himself one of the most legendary careers, cementing his place in the Hall of Fame. However, he finished his career much before LeBron James entered the league.

While naming his list, Dr. J made some questionable choices. He chose to snub one of his biggest rivals, Larry Bird, while making some unusual picks like Karl Malone and Nate ‘Tiny’ Archibald. He also excluded the Los Angeles Lakers’ three-peat duo, Shaquille O’Neal and the late Kobe Bryant.

Erving paid homage to players of his era and the ones before his. His decision to not name anyone who were in their prime in the past two decades had several fans in disbelief. However, his decision to exclude LeBron James is what got to Stephen A. Smith.

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Do you agree with Stephen A. Smith about the list? Did Dr. J go too far excluding LeBron James? Share your thoughts in the comments below!