The most divisive and oldest debate in NBA history is about who the greatest in the sport actually is. Back in the day, Michael Jordan himself stated that this debate is unfair because there are talents who played in vastly different eras. He stated that if anybody puts him above the rest, it would be unfair to people like Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, or Wilt Chamberlain.
MJ made these comments when LeBron James was already making history in the sport. If you want to start a disatrous fire, you can start debating who the NBA GOAT may be. In the case of John Stockton, he definitely competes as the greatest defensive player of all time but he also wanted to weigh-in on this debate. And he surprised more than one with his assessment.
Speaking to Oddsshark Sports, Stockton said: “Well, I wouldn’t use those three. Some of those three or one of those three wouldn’t be even in my Top 5. I hate that question and I get asked it all the time. Who are you guys… who is anybody to say ‘Well, it’s either of those three’? Wilt Chamberlain, they changed rules to negate how dominant he was. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, leading scorer and shot blocker in the history of the game for 40 years, is it? Now I know LeBron passed him and things like that, but he passed him with three-point lines and change of rules. There’s so many guys that I would put in that handful first five, and I’m not certain that the guys that are suggested are always the ones that I would put in there with them.”
Is John Stockton correct in this?
When it comes to the actual GOAT in any sport, perhaps only the NFL has an undisputed name who withstands among the rest. for people who grew up in the ’60s and ’70s, the choices could very well be Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Kids who grew up in the ’80s and ’90s will pick Michael. Those who grew up in the ’90s and early ‘2000s will say Kobe. And today many pick LeBron James. It’s a debate that has beendoomed from the start but it still keeps making waves throughout time. When a new young GOAT arises, the debate will pickup steam again. Perhaps the better question in genral should be: Who is your NBA GOAT?
