Michael Jordan’s Former Teammate Reopens GOAT Debate With Deep Introspection

Horace Grant won three championships with Michael Jordan and a fourth with Kobe Bryant. But he will always hold other NBA stars to the standard set by His Airness. So when asked who he picks as the GOAT of the game between his former teammate and LeBron James, Grant’s answer didn’t waver. However, he admitted that King James makes him feel his age.

Grant, who sees everything with his iconic glasses, told Courier Mail that MJ was and his GOAT. However, once James retires, he would be hard to omit. “Absolutely, LeBron should be in the conversation,” Grant said.

It’s not only the four championships, the MVP titles, and the stat sheet that convince him. “I’ve always said Michael is the best player, but as you get older you keep looking at LeBron at 39 and doing all of this… Scoring, rebounding, assists, and Finals…” 

Grant may have implied that he could change his mind after James retires. “LeBron’s longevity at 39 and still playing at a top level is remarkable,” he said.

Grant, who has won four championships too, retired at the age of 39 in 2004 as a Laker too. He claims he was nowhere at that level when he was LeBron’s age. “I remember when I was the same age and I could barely get up and down the court, let alone dunking.” In his 21st season, King James is giving Grant more reason to change the stance that he’s maintained for at least a decade.

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The General’s past stand for GOAT

A decade ago, there was a different LeBron James. He had won two championships and two Finals MVP. Horace Grant’s opinion about the all-time greatest of the sport was also based on that. “You can’t compare anybody to Michael,” Grant had said in 2013. That was after his former teammate, Scottie Pippen, said that LeBron would be the greatest player in the history of the NBA.

In 2014, Grant even chimed in on the Chicago-Miami rivalry saying that James’ Heat couldn’t beat MJ’s Bulls. Despite his own bittersweet friendship with Jordan, he’d take it a step further and say that the rules are different today and the games are less physical. He was confident if the Black Cat played in that atmosphere, he’d average 45 points.

Grant would say that you can’t compare eras, but you can only compare careers after the players in discussion are through playing. So he’s reserved his right to change his mind while LeBron James keeps playing.

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