John Stockton says he wouldn’t put one of Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Kobe Bryant in his list of the five greatest players ever.
John Stockton recently appeared on The Huddle, where the perennial debate about the greatest basketball player ever resurfaced. When asked to choose between Michael Jordan, LeBron James, or Kobe Bryant as the GOAT, Stockton not only refused to pick one but suggested that one of them wouldn’t even make his top five.
“Well, I wouldn’t use those three,” Stockton said. “Some of those three or one of those three wouldn’t even be in my top five. I hate that question and I get asked it all the time. Who’s anybody to say, ‘Well it’s either of those three.'”
Stockton went on to highlight players like Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. “Wilt Chamberlain, they changed rules to negate how dominant he was,” Stockton continued. “Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, leading scorer and shot-blocker in the history of the game for 40 years is it? Now, I know LeBron passed him and things like that, but he passed him with three-point lines and changes of rules.”
The Case for Jordan and James
Stockton further explained, “There’s so many guys that I would put in that handful of first five. I’m not certain that the guys that are suggested are always the ones that I would put in there with them.”
These lists are subjective, and everyone is entitled to their opinion. However, Stockton hinting that neither Jordan, James, nor Bryant would be a lock for his top five is quite surprising. According to his history and resume, everyone thinks he was talking about LeBron.
DO THEY REALLY BELONG IN TOP 5?
Jordan’s career is legendary: six titles, six Finals MVPs, five MVPs, 10 scoring titles, and a DPOY. He also made 11 All-NBA teams and nine All-Defensive teams in his 13 seasons with the Chicago Bulls. In our view the absolute GOAT of the NBA. We can even take it further; he is the GOAT of every sport and above any athlete ever.
LeBron James has also built an extraordinary legacy with four titles, four Finals MVPs, four MVPs, a scoring title, and an assists title. The 39-year-old is the NBA’s all-time leading scorer and has made 20 All-NBA teams and six All-Defensive teams, in addition to being a 20-time All-Star. In our view he deserves to be TOP 5
These accomplishments make it clear why Jordan and James are often included in the top five. Bryant’s resume, while impressive, isn’t quite at the same level. With five titles, two Finals MVPs, an MVP, and two scoring titles, he made 15 All-NBA teams and 12 All-Defensive teams in his 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Therefore, it’s easier to make a case for players like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird to be in the top five over Bryant, but in John Stockton mind it should have been LeBron.
Stockton Probably Would Leave LeBron Out
Stockton has often been less complimentary towards James. Last year, on the DNP-CD podcast, Stockton criticized LeBron for influencing team decisions.
“I don’t know what it’s like to sit in that front office and have things dictated to you like a plan, and it appears LeBron is,” Stockton said. “I don’t know for sure that he is, but it’d be maddening as a teammate to know that you can be expendable for one of his guys that he thinks he needs to play with. The iffiness it causes with the team, the iffiness that it causes upstairs.”
Many ex-players share Stockton’s sentiments. Despite this, James has won four championships, and most of his teammates have praised him. They likely understand that the top player often gets to call the shots.
