Throughout the history of the National Basketball Association (NBA), many great players have come and gone. Of all of these players, the viewers of the NBA often use statistics to deduce who the greatest of all time is, or for short, the GOAT.
While there have been many great players, such as Kawhi Leonard, Kyrie Irving, Shaquille O’Neal, and more, only one player can truly be the GOAT of the NBA: Lebron James.
First off, one major key point to why Lebron James is the GOAT is his longevity. Michael Jordan, who is called the GOAT by some people, only played for 15 seasons. Lebron James has played 21 seasons, with it being clear he will continue to go for more.
Drafted in 2003, James joined the NBA when he was 19, and he is still playing today at the age 39.
Not only has he been playing in the NBA for a vast amount of time, but he has stayed consistent his entire career. Since he was drafted, James has had an average points per game of over 20 each year, with his lowest point average being the same year he was drafted.
James also has 4 Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards, the highest of any active player. Additionally, James has 4 NBA championships, 4 Finals MVPs, and 20 All-Star appearances, being a part of every one since 2005.
Some fans of the NBA disagree and say that Michael Jordan is the GOAT of the NBA, stating that because he has more championships and MVPs, he is better. However, Jordan played much earlier than James, which shows that he played against much easier opponents.
With all these reasons, it should be clear to most that Lebron James is the GOAT of the NBA and will continue to hold this title until the game progresses further, and someone new steps up to that plate.
