In a teaser clip from an upcoming episode of The Pat McAfee Show, LeBron James stirred the basketball world with a bold claim about Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo.
โYou trying to tell me Giannis wouldn’t be able to play an NBA game in the 70s?โ LeBron said. โGiannis Antetokounmpo would have 250 points in a game in the 70s. 250!โ
Though the full episode hasnโt aired yet, this soundbite is already making waves across social media.
The GOAT Debate Still Lingers
LeBronโs comment about Giannis dominating the 1970s echoes a familiar undercurrent in his career: the ongoing debate over who truly is the greatest of all time.
On First Take, Stephen A. Smith recently opened up about his strained relationship with LeBron, stemming largely from one unshakable belief: โMy GOAT is Michael Jordan,โ Smith said. โI watch the game. I’m a student of the game. I know a GOAT when I see one.โ
Despite James’ monumental achievementsโsurpassing 40,000 career points, racking up All-Star appearances, and consistently rewriting the history booksโSmith remains unmoved. โ40,000 points, another All-Star appearance, another 50-point game. Whatever. Ainโt my GOAT.โ
LeBron has never shied away from the comparison, even as he tries to forge his own legacy. Yet, the resistance from traditionalists like Smith highlights just how entrenched the Jordan-vs-LeBron battle remains.
Even Charles Barkley has weighed in on the topic. On The Steam Room podcast, Barkley distanced himself from the debate entirely, calling it โweak journalism.โ While Barkley acknowledged Jordan as the greatest he ever played against, he also showed respect for LeBronโs longevityโespecially after hearing a stat that surprised even him: LeBron is just a few 30-point games behind Jordan, despite having played seven more seasons.
Could Giannis Really Score 250?
LeBronโs exaggerated โ250 pointsโ remark might seem like pure hyperboleโbut it does raise a compelling question. How would a player like Giannis fare in a 1970s-era game?
Back then, defenses were far less complex, players werenโt nearly as athletic across the board, and there was no three-point line. Giannisโa 7-footer with guard skills, elite speed, and brute strengthโwouldโve been an unsolvable puzzle.
The interior defenses of that era simply werenโt equipped to handle someone with his blend of size, speed, and skill.
In contrast, todayโs NBA throws far more advanced defensive schemes at himโand he still thrives. On December 13, 2023, Giannis dropped a career-high 64 points against the Indiana Pacers, setting a new Milwaukee Bucks franchise record. And that performance came in an era of detailed scouting, film breakdowns, switching defenses, and elite rim protectors.
LeBronโs statement, if nothing else, highlights just how much the game has evolvedโand how todayโs stars might have dominated even more in the past.
