Michael Beasley: LeBron James Is The GOAT Over Michael Jordan

Former NBA forward Michael Beasley said on “The OGs” podcast with Udonis Haslem and Mike Miller that LeBron James is the GOAT over Michael Jordan. 

LeBron and Jordan are universally recognized as the two greatest players in NBA history. 

“If we had right here all the players from history stats, no names, and we stacked the best point guard, shooting guard, small forward, etc, even bench, even coach, you can put that man’s stats up and he can be the best one, two, three, four, five,” Beasley said. “He can have the best coaching resume, he can have the best GM resume. Like his stats alone, just come on. 

“I feel like people that stan Michael Jordan as the GOAT, like no disrespect, but ya’ll just holding on to old feelings. Like you have to acknowledge the fact that what I just said is. Like he got 40,000 (points) right now.”

LeBron and Jordan will always be linked together. The two icons have combined to win nine regular-season MVPs, 10 championships and 10 Finals MVPs. 

LeBron grew up idolizing Jordan. The two shared a warm embrace during All-Star Weekend in 2022. 

“I did not want to lose the opportunity to shake the man’s hand that inspired me throughout my childhood,” LeBron said, via Elizabeth Karpen of the New York Post. “I haven’t had much dialogue with him in my 20 years or 19 years in this business, but part of me wouldn’t be here without MJ’s inspiration. I always wanted to be like him growing up.”

LeBron wore No. 23 in high school and the NBA because of Jordan, who won six championships, six Finals MVPs, five regular-season MVPs and 10 scoring titles with the Chicago Bulls. The Akron Hammer always wanted to be like His Airness growing up in Ohio and he paid homage to the Hall of Famer with his final shot of the 2022 All-Star Game.

“It’s crazy that the game-winning shot tonight was a fadeaway, and it was inspired by MJ. The way he wore his shoes, the way he wore his uniform, I mean, all the way down to some of the cars that he drove, how much he inspired me,” LeBron said postgame, via Karpen. “I didn’t want to waste that opportunity because we’re just not in the same building a lot and haven’t been in the same building a lot throughout my career. It meant something to me.”