Michael Jordan, Horace Grant, Bulls
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American basketball player Michael Jordan and Horace Grant, of the Bulls, with a match official Bill Oakes during Game 4 of the 1993 NBA Finals, between the Chicago Bulls and the Phoenix Suns, at the Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois, 16th June 1993.
Four-time NBA champion Horace Grant believes the NBA’s greatest-of-all-time debate has drifted away from context — and he is not shy about saying so.
Grant, a key contributor to the Chicago Bulls’ first three-peat, pushed back against frequent comparisons between his former teammate, Michael Jordan and Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James, calling the discussion misguided.
“Two different players, two different eras,” Grant said in an exclusive interview with Heavy Sports. “You can always go back to Kareem [Abdul-Jabbar] being called a GOAT in his era. You can go back to Oscar Robertson or Bill Russell being the GOAT in their era. I think the comparison is so outrageous because it’s two different eras. That’s it, man.”
Context Shapes Greatness Across Eras
Grant’s perspective is rooted in experience. The Bulls teams that won NBA championships from 1991 to 1993 played in a league defined by slower pace, physical defense, and limited spacing — conditions that shaped how stars carried responsibility and endured contact.
Rather than argue that one era was superior to another, Grant emphasized that the game has evolved in ways that make direct comparisons incomplete. Rule changes, advances in sports science, and longer career arcs have altered how greatness is expressed.
For Grant, those differences should frame the discussion — not flatten it.
Respect for LeBron’s Longevity
Los Angeles Lakers, NBA Cup, LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Los Angeles Clippers, Lakers advance NBA Cup
GettyLos Angeles Lakers LeBron James still plays at an elite level despite being the oldest active player in the NBA today.
Grant was careful to separate criticism of the debate from criticism of James, whose longevity has become a defining feature of his career.
“How can LeBron, at his age, still be playing at a high level like that?” Grant said. “When I was 41, I could barely walk.”
James, the NBA’s oldest active player, recently regained form after missing time with a sciatic nerve issue. Over a five-game stretch, he averaged 27.6 points on 54 percent shooting, reaffirming his ability to compete at an elite level approaching his 41st birthday.
That durability has enabled James to accumulate records Jordan never pursued, including becoming the league’s all-time leading scorer.
“They shouldn’t cancel each other out,” Grant said. “They should be celebrated for what they did in their time.”
Jordan’s Final Season Still Offers Perspective
Jordan’s final NBA season with the Washington Wizards is often compared to James’s last few seasons. At age 39, Jordan averaged 20.0 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.8 assists, earning his 14th All-Star selection despite playing for a non-contending team.
Grant views that season as a reminder of how differently careers once concluded — before load management, modern recovery techniques and extended primes became common.
Jordan’s résumé — six championships, five MVP awards and six Finals MVPs — Grant said, does not require modern comparison to retain its significance.
From Bulls Champion to Storyteller
Horace Grant, Bulls
GettyChicago Bulls legend Horace Grant launches a television series called Legends in Session with Horace Grant.
Grant is now preparing for the launch of Legends in Session with Horace Grant, a television series set to film and premiere in Chicago.
The 13-episode inaugural season will feature long-form conversations with Hall of Fame players, former teammates and rivals, structured to resemble the flow of a basketball game.
“They get to truly know my Hall of Fame guests,” Grant said. “They hear stories that have never been told before. The questions my executive producer and I ask aren’t the ones they’re used to hearing. It’s a laid-back atmosphere — transparent, authentic, and real.”
Jordan defined an era. James has reshaped another.
For Grant, greatness does not need comparison to endure.