How Tom Haberstroh is pushing LeBron James' GOAT case while shooting at Michael Jordan and his legacy

As the 2024 NBA Finals petered out to an anti-climactic victory for the Boston Celtics, fans were given a reason to stay entertained well beyond Game 5, when Yahoo journalist Tom Haberstroh published a piece, titled "A closer look at Michael Jordan's 1988 DPOY award raises questions about its validity. Has LeBron James been chasing a ghost?" The article examines Jordan's possibly inflated defensive stats at home.

Intended or not, the article going viral right before the 2024 NBA draft has pushed LeBron James' GOAT narrative over Jordan's. In his piece, the acclaimed NBA journalist contends that Michael Jordan's steal total was juiced by friendly scorers at home, which allowed him to secure the 1988 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award.

Tom Haberstroh via X

Despite making the NBA All-Defensive First Team five times, LeBron never received the coveted award. His best chance came in 2013 when Grizzlies star Marc Gasol won, despite not making the NBA All-Defensive First Team, largely on the back of media support.

Tom Haberstroh's article has led to scrutiny over Jordan's sole DPOY Award. If the stats are "proven fraudulent", it would show that LeBron James is equal to MJ in defensive terms.

Bronny's NBA career, a factor in LeBron James vs Michael Jordan GOAT debate

While everyone was still reeling from the effects of the first piece, Tom Haberstroh published another long-form article, titled, "Is Bronny James underrated? Inside the phenomenon of the NBA bloodline."

Tom Haberstroh via X

The piece, ostensibly an examination of how being from an NBA family vastly increases one's chances of succeeding as a player, makes a case for the heir to King James right before the NBA draft, despite his underwhelming return in his solitary season with USC.

"To skeptics, Bronny is the over-hyped beneficiary of the James bloodline, but time and time again, history tells us the opposite: NBA bloodlines are continually underrated." - Tom Haberstroh

There is a distinct possibility that Bronny James could be drafted by the Lakers at number 55, as Tom Haberstroh says himself. While this would not count as a statistical achievement, dad and son playing together is incredibly rare in American sports, putting LeBron back in the limelight.

Until a few years ago, imagining an NBA Finals without LeBron James was almost unthinkable. 'King' James made the finals nine times in ten years between 2011 and 2020. This run of dominance rivals that of Michael Jordan, who won six finals in six appearances between 1991 and 1998.

With a new era of superstars taking over, the 39-year-old LeBron has only been on the periphery of conversations about the NBA. Tom Haberstroh's pieces have reignited the GOAT debate between the two legends.