NBA discourse, especially in online spaces, has changed drastically in recent years. With the advent of the "superteam" in the 2010s, many conversations about the game's best players became centered on championships. The number of titles won soon became a barometer as to a player's overall standing in "greatest of all time" debates.
LeBron James felt this pressure when he decided to join the Miami Heat in 2010, teaming up with Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade to form a "Big Three" in south Florida. James won two of his four career titles in Miami, which -- alongside his minutes played and points scored records -- have afforded him a privileged spot in "GOAT" talks.
On the newest episode of his "Mind the Game" podcast, James and Steve Nash -- an all-time great point guard who never played in the NBA Finals -- tried to answer a fan question about the unique prevalence of "ring culture" in NBA discourse.
But James, who won his most recent title five years ago, had no answer.
"I don't know why it's discussed so much in our sport, and why it's the end-all, be-all of everything. Like, you weren't a great player if you never won a championship," James said.
James remarked that in other major sports leagues, like MLB or the NFL, "ring culture" has not impacted the esteem in which all-time great athletes like Barry Bonds, Peyton Manning, or Dan Marino are held. But Nash and Charles Barkley, who combined to play in one NBA Finals series amidst Hall of Fame careers, are not usually regarded as two of the greatest players of their generations.
"It's just weird to me. It's like saying 'Peyton Manning can't be in the same room with (Tom) Brady or (Patrick) Mahomes because he only has one ring," James said. "Barry Bonds never won a World Series, and you can't sit here and tell me that he's not the greatest baseball player to ever touch a bat."
James warned of the dangers of "weird" ring culture as it continues to spiral, and how it threatens to reduce player legacies and the vitality of sports debate.
"We have to appreciate more of what guys have been able to accomplish," James said. "A ring is a team accomplishment. And if you happen to have a moment where you're able to share that with your team, that should be discussed. Trying to nitpick and individual because he was not able to win a team game, I don't know where it's started, it's just so weird."