May 5, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) looks towards his bench after a play against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first half during game one of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
May 5, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) looks towards his bench after a play against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first half during game one of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
The NBA GOAT conversation will never reach a consensus, but former league swingman Richard Jefferson has an interesting solution. Speaking on ‘The Rush Hour’ show, the NBA champion argued that there is no GOAT, as the standards are constantly shifting.
So, instead of settling on just one name as the greatest of all time, RJ revealed which player has the best “build” for the game. Unsurprisingly, he chose LeBron James, his former championship teammate, for his combination of strength, skill, and deep understanding of the game.
“Kareem had the greatest career, Bill Russell won the most championships, and Michael is the icon. Kobe Bryant, what he did mentally for the game… but if you were to build a basketball player, you could not build a better basketball player than LeBron James,” said Jefferson. “There’s no way. There’s no skill set he doesn’t have, no physical ability, so, for me, if I were building a basketball player mentally and physically, he would be the person that I would build.”
Richard Jefferson speaks from personal experience when it comes to LeBron. He played with the NBA legend for two years on the Cavaliers, playing a modest role on the 2016 championship team. During his brief yet transformative tenure in Cleveland, he got to know LeBron better than he ever did before, and there’s no question in his mind that he’s the perfect model of an NBA athlete.
At 6’9″ and 250 pounds, LeBron is the ideal size for a wing player, and he’s never had trouble keeping his body in shape. As a natural athlete, he’s quick on his feet, but is also famously strong, being able to make plays through contact and fierce resistance from the league’s best defenders.
When it comes to skills, LeBron can do everything on the floor, and there’s no singular area of the game that he fails to deliver. Besides being an elite scorer and capable ball-handler, the 22x All-Star is an expert floor general, with an unmatched ability to run the floor and create clean looks for his teammates.
Arguably, the most important aspects of LeBron’s total package are his mental approach and work ethic. Unlike some of his peers, LeBron happily devotes millions of dollars to sustain his durability and prolong his career. He also spends hours watching film to understand his opponents and determine how to best help his team win.
All in all, LeBron isn’t really lacking in any particular area. While his peak may not be as high as Michael Jordan’s was, he was built for greatness from the very start with a mind, body, and competitive spirit that came together perfectly. Today, those same attributes are driving LeBron’s new tenure in Philadelphia as he battles Father Time.
It’s still too early to say what will happen in his last stop, but we can only expect the best from James, given what he’s shown so far. With career averages of 26.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, 7.4 assists, 1.5 steals, and 0.7 blocks per game on 50.7% shooting, LeBron’s resume speaks for itself, and his body of work after 23 years is what happens when all the right elements come together in one generational athlete.