Could you have imagined the 2024 Olympics team without LeBron James? Most probably not. And so couldn’t Grant Hill. The former NBA star was managing director of the 2024 USA men’s national basketball team. And when it came down to the selection process, Bron was an undoubted choice on the roster. After all, when the stakes are as high as an Olympic gold medal, you need someone who can shoulder the aspirations of over 341 million people. But here’s the twist—Hill counted on James despite ruling him out of the GOAT debate.

During a segment on NBA on TNT covering Game 4 of the 2018 Finals, Hill voiced his disappointment, saying LeBron James didn’t seem mentally or emotionally locked in. “They fought back in the first half. And then the second half and the third, I think (he took) maybe one shot…,” Hill said, clearly baffled by what he saw.

This, however, in no way meant Hill disregarded James as a great player. Case in point: his Olympic selection under Hill’s management. And boy did Bron make it count despite the incoming criticism for Team USA from fans and experts. James averaged 14.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, 8.5 assists, and 1.3 steals in six tournament games.

With his 14 points, 6 rebounds, and 10 assists in the final game, Bron also sealed his spot as the MVP of the Paris Olympics. Thus surpassing His Airness in the number of Olympic golds too. But as we know, the GOAT debate is about much more than just these numbers and awards.

When we speak about Jordan, his name is practically synonymous with giving it everything he’s got—especially on the NBA’s biggest stage. Probably the reason that MJ never had to play a Game 7 in the Finals series. That’s right. Every single championship was wrapped up by Game 6. That kind of killer instinct is what Hill felt was missing from LeBron James’s performance in 2018 for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

And he didn’t hold back with his words. “It was not what I expected and we have all these conversations and debates about GOAT… You really can’t make an argument for that… You don’t give it your all when your team needs you, you really can’t have that discussion.” Tough words, but they hit home.

Let’s rewind to Game 4 of the 2018 Finals for a moment. The Golden State Warriors came out swinging, taking a 34-24 lead after the first quarter. LeBron rallied his team, cutting the deficit to just two points late in the second quarter. But then… silence. He went scoreless for the rest of the half, letting the Warriors go up 61-52.

Things didn’t improve in the third quarter—just two points from Bron. By the fourth, he managed only five before being pulled with four minutes left. Sure, his Finals averages were insane—34.0 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 10.0 assists—but in Game 4, he scored just 23 points on 13 shots.

So, what’s the takeaway here? Hill’s critique reminds us why the GOAT debate is about more than numbers. Stats might tell one story, but mentality and heart tell another. Jordan showed up big every single time it mattered.

However, there’s more to the story of that Game 4 in discussion.

LeBron James was playing the 2018 Finals with a self-inflicted injury?!

In a surprising revelation, LeBron James had once admitted he “pretty much played the last three games of the series with a broken hand.” The injury, which James described as “self-inflicted,” stemmed from a moment of frustration following the Cavaliers’ devastating loss in Game 1 of the 2018 NBA Finals.

The King had delivered a stellar 51-point performance in the opener, putting his team in a prime position to pull off a huge upset. However, a costly blunder by J.R. Smith, who seemingly forgot the score in the game’s closing moments, squandered the opportunity.

Reflecting on that moment, James shared, “Very emotional. For a lot of different reasons, understanding how important a Game 1 is on the road for our ballclub, what that would have done for us, the way we played, and the calls that were made throughout that game, I had emotions on the game was taken away from us.” 

Despite his injury, criticism followed LeBron James for seemingly giving up in Game 4 against the dominant Warriors, led by Kevin Durant. While his fans attribute the lackluster finish to the injury, critics argue that his emotions—leading to the injury itself—cost the Cavaliers the series and James the GOAT title. As Grant Hill pointed out, it was a costly lapse in judgment.