The 2025-26 NBA regular season is less than a couple of weeks away, and L.A. Lakers forward LeBron James will be the first athlete ever to play a 23rd year in the league.
The all-time great is still among the best players in the world, and with a franchise with high expectations in the Western Conference. For years now, the NBA GOAT debate has largely revolved around two legendary wings: James and Michael Jordan.
Michael played 15 years in the NBA, building one of the league’s most dominant dynasties with the Chicago Bulls in the 1990s. MJ ultimately won six Larry O’Brien trophies in eight years and was named Finals MVP for all of those championship runs.
LeBron, on the other hand, has fewer championships, Finals MVPs, and regular-season MVPs to his name, but he’s made a record 21 All-NBA teams and is the NBA’s current all-time leader in points.
These two titans have ultimately compiled staggering resumes, which is why public discourse over the GOAT debate has mostly narrowed it down to just them.
Stephen A. Smith has been one of the most prominent voices in this debate. While the famed ESPN analyst hasn’t drastically changed his opinion on who he believes is the greatest player of all time, he did make a recent eye-opening admission on this topic.
In fact, Smith tried to end this conversation once and for all, giving his final verdict on the GOAT debate after LeBron hit another unimaginable milestone.
Stephen A. Smith gave his final take on the NBA GOAT debate
Stephen A. Smith has long been one of the most prominent media personalities in professional sports, offering his candid and often-controversial opinions on a wide range of topics.
On an episode of ESPN’s First Take, Smith reacted to LeBron James becoming the first player in NBA history to score 50,000 career points.
While Stephen A. has a very checkered past with the Lakers’ star, the longtime sports pundit gave an honest acknowledgment of this unprecedented milestone.
“In the end, the greatness that he has put on display for as long as he has put on display… Knowing how I feel about Jordan, I think it’s time to not even have the debate anymore. Because that’s how great LeBron James has been for as long as he has been that great. I can stand down and acknowledge that.”
Stephen A. Smith has never wavered over who he believes is the greatest basketball player ever
Stephen A. Smith has, on several occasions, said that there is nothing that LeBron James can do to surpass Michael Jordan in his eyes.
The ESPN analyst, in particular, notes MJ’s ruthless competitiveness as one of the key factors that separates him from James.
This isn’t the first time an analyst has made this comment. Charles Barkley once noted that Michael and Kobe Bryant have more similarities in their approach than LeBron does.
And it’s that old-school mentality that has captivated millions of people throughout the years, building the NBA into the empire it is today.
Overall, out of respect, Smith is trying to refrain from this debate as a way not to discredit all the accomplishments LeBron has amassed in his career.
Shockingly, in 2025, the 40-year-old’s cement is still not dry. The 2025-26 NBA season is set to begin on October 21, and the Los Angeles Lakers have a roster built to be a factor in the Western Conference.
LeBron will now have a full season alongside superstar point guard Luka Doncic, who is entering this basketball year in the best shape of his life.
For the Lakers to realistically challenge the defending champion, James will need to maintain his top-10 player in the world form. While that’s a tall ask for a player in his 23rd season, if anyone can do it, it’s LeBron.