When discussions arise about the greatest NBA players of all time, two names almost always dominate the conversation: Michael Jordan and LeBron James.
Whether it was Jordan's reign with the Chicago Bulls throughout the 1990s, where he captured six championships and five MVP awards, or James' remarkable longevity and ability to win NBA titles with three different franchises, both legends possess compelling cases for basketball's GOAT crown.
Another figure whose place in NBA history is firmly established, much like Jordan and James, is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The Los Angeles Lakers icon still owns the record for the most MVP awards ever with six, one more than Jordan. Having won championships with both the Milwaukee Bucks and the Lakers, Abdul-Jabbar shared the court with many of the sport's greatest players, giving him a unique perspective on some of basketball's most debated topics.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's Opinion on NBA GOAT Debate
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Milwaukee Bucks
In fact, despite the endless debate surrounding Jordan and James in the GOAT discussion, Abdul-Jabbar once stated that there is another NBA legend he considers superior to both of them.
Considering how dominant Jordan and James were during their primes, many fans would view them as the toughest possible opponents in a one-on-one match-up. Both combined elite athleticism with extraordinary basketball intelligence, while possessing the competitive drive that made them incredibly difficult to overcome.
However, Abdul-Jabbar believes one of his former teammates deserves even greater praise than either Jordan or LeBron. Interestingly, the Hall of Fame center — often regarded as the greatest center in NBA history — did not choose Lakers stars such as Magic Johnson or James Worthy. Instead, he selected a teammate from his Milwaukee Bucks days.
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"LeBron is awesome, MJ was awesome — but I think Oscar Robertson would have kicked them both in the behind. Absolutely. Oscar was awesome. He had brains. […] He had all the skills. He could rebound and box out guys four and six inches taller than him. He was ruggedly built. He had fluid, quickness, and just understood the game. No flair, he just got the job done every night. Who’s going to average double figures in points, assists and rebounds?"
It's evident that Abdul-Jabbar holds his former Bucks teammate in extremely high regard, even calling him the greatest point guard the NBA has ever seen, ahead of the player many fans place at number one, Magic Johnson.
Oscar Robertson, Cincinnati Royals
Long before Russell Westbrook emerged, Robertson set the standard for point guards, impacting every area of the game, including rebounding. A 12-time All-Star, the 'Big O' captured the NBA MVP award in 1964 and also earned MVP honours in that season's All-Star Game.
That campaign came two years after Robertson became the first player in league history to average a triple-double across an entire season. He remained the only player to achieve the feat until Westbrook and, later, Nikola Jokic joined him. Robertson also led the NBA in assists six times, including three consecutive seasons from 1964 to 1966, and earned spots on the league's 35th, 50th, and 75th anniversary teams.
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Standing 6-foot-5, Robertson possessed virtually every quality a team could want from a floor general. He finally secured an NBA championship in 1971 alongside Abdul-Jabbar. While younger fans who have witnessed the brilliance of Jordan and James may struggle to imagine a player surpassing them, Robertson's Hall of Fame career and revolutionary style made him one of the most influential talents the game has ever seen.
Although Abdul-Jabbar may naturally be influenced by his personal connection to Robertson, that should not diminish just how exceptional Robertson was during the peak years of his career.