LeBron James is arguably the greatest NBA player of the current generation, there is no doubt about that with the small forward having reached eight straight NBA Finals and claiming three championships in the process. The 35-year-old's achievements in the game have seen him constantly compared to Michael Jordan, who is widely regarded as the greatest of all time (GOAT) to ever play the game.
It is an ongoing debate as there are several people who believe James has surpassed Jordan and is the greatest ever. Magic Johnson, a five-time NBA champion and Los Angeles Lakers legend believes the former Chicago Bulls forward remains the greatest ever to play in the NBA but admits that James can stake a claim for GOAT status if he accomplishes two things before the end of his career.
James needs to win at least two more championships
James may have made eight straight NBA Finals, but he was successful on only three occasions, while Jordan on the other hand, won all six of the NBA Finals he played during his time with the Bulls. Johnson believes James needs to win at least two more championships in the coming seasons to truly enter the debate about being the greatest ever NBA player.
"For him to really catch Michael, it's that next two or three championships," Johnson said, as quoted on Sportscasting. "If he could get a couple more championships, then he'll be probably the greatest that's ever played."
James has racked up multiple records during his illustrious career, in addition to his three titles, he has also been crowned the MVP on four occasions, made 15 All-Star appearances and is the only player to score 33,000 points and notch up 9000 assists and rebounds. Despite cementing himself as one of the all-time greats of the game, his 3-5 NBA Finals record will still be held against him when compared to Jordan's 6-0 record.
'Jordan was the freakiest player'
"For me on my books right now, I would say Michael [Jordan] was the freakiest player in the game," Johnson added. "He was the greatest to play on the floor because I couldn't jump as high... But Michael going 6-0 in the NBA finals, oh man. That's awesome."
"I went to the finals nine times in 12 years, but we only won five. But I'll take those five, trust me. As long as it was two more than Larry [Bird], that's all I care about."
