“LeBron been in the finals for half of his career” - Rich Paul uses 'ring' analogy to back LeBron James GOAT debate

The debate on the greatest basketball player of all time involving LeBron James and Michael Jordan has only gotten louder. “King James” recent ascension as the NBA’s all-time points leader has given James' followers more ammunition for their arguments.

Rich Paul, James’ long-time friend, added his take on the raging GOAT debate via the Speak Context:

“I think Michael [Jordan] transcended the sport [basketball]. And I think LeBron [James] brought a consistency to the sport that maintained his relevancy. You see all these guys on TV every day, ‘Oh, it’s Michael and it’s about the rings.’ If it’s about the rings, then it should be Bill Russell because he got 11 [championships].

“LeBron’s been to the finals half of his career. That’s pretty hard to do. It’s just a matter of who has the microphone. I’m not gonna be arguing with guys in the barber shop, guys on TV every day because this is who they think is the GOAT.”

For Michael Jordan fans, MJ’s 6-0 record in the NBA Finals is their trump card. “His Airness” never even had to play a Game 7 to dispatch his opponents on his way to collecting six championship rings.

LeBron James, on the other hand, has four titles but has been to the championship round 10 times, including eight in a row (2011-2018). He carried the Miami Heat to the NBA finals for four straight years before doing the same for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the next four.

For some basketball analysts, the GOAT conversation has already passed. James simply can’t replicate Jordan’s spotless record in the NBA finals.

Rich Paul further added:

“If you’re only counting 6-0 in the finals, we get that. … There’s an older generation on TV every day with those slots. They’re never gonna give LeBron that credit.

Perhaps the hole in Paul’s contention is the fact that there are also younger players who still consider Michael Jordan the GOAT over LeBron James. It isn’t just entirely the old heads who have “His Airness” at the totem pole of basketball greatness.

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The GOAT debate will be even hotter if LeBron James wins championship no. 5

The LA Lakers, who tied a franchise-worst 2-10 start, clinched the seventh seed after beating the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday. They open their first-round playoff series against the second-seeded Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday.

A right foot injury against the Dallas Mavericks on February 26 nearly ended LeBron James' season. After a 13-game absence, he returned just in time to help the Lakers vie for an outright playoff spot before falling into the Play-in Tournament.

The brash and young Grizzlies will be the favorites to win the series against the LA Lakers. James, though, has proven to be a consistently tough customer to eliminate in a seven-game series.

If “King James” caps off his dramatic season with championship No. 5, the GOAT debate against Michael Jordan will become even more heated.

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