If Michael Jordan believes you to be the only player who can defeat him 1-on-1, you are undoubtedly a GOAT contender. No wonder, time and again, Kobe Bryant‘s name has popped up in this debate, despite MJ and LeBron James being the most common ones in discussion. The most recent one to weigh on this was Magic Johnson during his appearance on NH ExperienceTV.

Notably, Johnson has already declared Mike as his GOAT in earlier instances. And he seemed to maintain this stand during the show as well. But, he believes the next player in consideration is definitely Bryant. During the show, Johnson stated Black Mamba was one of the greatest. As a shooting guard, or even as a small forward, Buck believes Kobe to be the best after Michael Jordan. He said, “You know, what Kobe meant to the game of basketball like worldwide, you know, and so uh, to me, offensively, he’s the second-best dude at that two three guard, two two guard position, two small forward behind Michael Jordan.”

Regarding scoring, Kobe was virtually unstoppable, much like Jordan. His skill set, determination, and ability to perform under pressure made him one of the most clutch players in NBA history,” Johnson said, via NH ExperienceTV. In fact, the 5x NBA champ, alongside MJ, is Johnson’s top choice if he had to select one player to take the final shot with the game on the line. “Both had the uncanny ability to either sink the shot, draw the foul, and calmly knock down the free throws to seal the victory. We witnessed Kobe do this countless times,” Buck added.

There is no denying that LeBron has an edge over Bryant in terms of pure statistical comparison. Whether it be points per game, rebounds, or assists per game throughout the career. But, Johnson ranking the 18x All-Star right after the Chicago Bulls legend speaks volumes. Moreover, Black Mamba has witnessed a higher peak of performance than Bron.

While Black Mamba’s highest ppg in a single season has been 35.4, for the King, it has been 31.4. Apart from this, Black Mamba claimed 5 NBA championships, including a 3-peat despite having a shorter career as compared to James’ 4 championships. The first two came after he landed with players like Dwyane Wade (considered third best shooting guard ever) and Chris Bosh in the Miami Heat.

There is no discrediting Bron’s contribution to the championships, but there is also no denying that Kobe draws comparisons with MJ and LeBron in the same line. As for the GOAT debate, some factors that seemed to be taken into consideration include the performance of the player throughout his career, the awards and accolades won, and the unique impact on the game like no other player. And Kobe is as much of all these things as James and Michael Jordan.

Other players who considered Kobe Bryant among the GOAT contender

It is worth mentioning there have been multiple NBA players who have either involved Black Mamba in the GOAT debate or even ranked him above LeBron. In fact, King’s former teammate Dwyane Wade himself stated Kobe to be the greatest player of his generation. “He was our Michael Jordan,” Wade said.

Meanwhile, among those who rank the 5x NBA champ higher than Bron is Nate Robinson as well. During an interview, he agreed no one can take away anything from what James has achieved. But, when it comes to the most complete player ever, Robinson leans in Kobe’s favor after Michael Jordan.

As for the stats, Gilbert Arenas clarified the whole thing with his one statement. “Forget the stats, go try guarding that man for 48 minutes a game. And tell me he isn’t one of the greatest players ever,” Gil once said. Now, there may be no concrete way to determine the winner of the GOAT debate. But, the fact Bryant is a part of it along with Michael Jordan and James needs no further proof.

Stay tuned for more such updates. And join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.