"Wasn't good for that long" - Stephen A. Smith pinpoints key edge LeBron James has in GOAT debate as he crosses historic 50,000 point landmark

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Stephen A. Smith pinpoints key edge LeBron James has in GOAT debate (Photo Credit: Imagn)

On Tuesday night, LeBron James added another historic feat to his already legendary resumé. Following his latest accomplishment, one analyst gave his thoughts on what it means for the 21-time All-Star in the GOAT debate.

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Back in February of 2023, LeBron surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA's all-time leading scorer. In his 34-point outburst against the New Orleans Pelicans, the LA Lakers star made more scoring history. LeBron became the first player ever to reach 50,000 total career points (regular season and playoffs).

When it comes to his GOAT case, LeBron's longevity has been one of the major factors of his greatness. He's still a highly impactful player in the league in his 22nd season, something that has never been seen in the sport before.

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Stephen A. Smith isn't ready to put LeBron ahead of Michael Jordan just yet. However, he did give the Lakers forward his flowers. In regards to sustained success over a long period, he feels LeBron has the edge as the NBA's GOAT.

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"Longevity, a sustained level of prestine excellence," Stephen A. said. "LeBron James is the GOAT in that category."
"Jordan at his best is the greatest I've ever seen, but Jordan wasn't that good for that long."
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At the age of 40 and with over two decades of mileage under his belt, LeBron is still putting up impressive averages of 24.9 points, 8.0 rebounds and 8.5 assists.


Brian Windhorst makes interesting comparison for LeBron James vs Michael Jordan GOAT debate

For well over a decade now, there have been endless debates about who is the NBA's GOAT between LeBron James and Michael Jordan. As this discourse comes back again, one insider made an interesting comparison between the two icons.

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ESPN's Brian Windhorst has long been an avid supporter of LeBron's and continued to praise him Wednesday following his newest accolade. He once again brought up longevity as a testament to his greatness, stating that no NBA player ever has been this impactful this late into their career.

Towards the end of his segment on Get Up Wednesday, Windhorst dove more into the LeBron James vs MJ debate. He compared it to mountains, arguing which is better the highest peak or overall breathtaking scenic view.

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"Do you like the tallest mountain like Mount Everest, or do you like the Canadian Rockies? Because that's really what you're talking about," Windhorst said. "If you're comparing him to Michael Jordan, has LeBron hit the height that Jordan hit? No.
But the breath of the career, which is still being added to, is what his claim is."
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As LeBron continues to add to his already legendary career, these debates aren't going to end anytime soon. This discourse will likely never stop, especially while the star forward is still adding to the story that is his historic NBA run.

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Edited by Kevin McCormick
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