Kai Cenat knows how to stir the pot, and his latest basketball take might be his most outrageous yet. The popular streamer appeared on Club Shay Shay with Shannon Sharpe and delivered a bold, unexpected answer when asked about the greatest basketball player of all time, per Fadeawayworld. Forget Michael Jordan, LeBron James, or even Kareem Abdul-Jabbar—Cenat’s pick? Leandro Barbosa.
The GOAT Debate Takes a Wild Turn
Sharpe, visibly stunned, asked if Barbosa was a close friend. Cenat shut that idea down immediately. “No,” he replied. His reasoning? “I used to watch Golden State, and Leandro Barbosa was an amazing dude. He’s a good dude, man.”
Barbosa, a solid NBA role player and key contributor to the Warriors’ 2015 championship, had an impressive career. But calling him the GOAT? That’s a level of basketball discourse few saw coming. Cenat’s claim quickly became a viral moment, fueling debates over whether he was serious or just trolling.
His take didn’t stop with Sharpe. The next stop? First Take, where Stephen A. Smith was just as bewildered.
Stephen A. Smith’s Reaction: Ban-Worthy?
When Cenat doubled down on his Barbosa claim in front of Smith, the longtime ESPN analyst was in disbelief. “I love Leandro Barbosa. The brother can play… but the NBA GOAT? I might have banned you from this show if I knew you’d say this on national television,” Smith said.
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Cenat, unfazed, shot back, “Ban me? Wait, ban me?”
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The conversation soon shifted to the never-ending LeBron vs. Jordan debate, where Cenat made his stance clear. “When it comes to LeBron James, you start hating,” he told Smith. “You’re more of an older generation type of dude. You like Michael Jordan, cool… but I’m here to say: LeBron’s better than Jordan.”
Smith, always ready for a fiery debate, wasn’t letting that slide. “This is the problem with the young whippersnappers like yourself,” he responded.
Ironically, just a day earlier, Smith had announced on First Take that he was ready to retire the Jordan vs. LeBron argument. But Cenat wasn’t having it.
Was his Barbosa take genuine, or was he just looking for a viral moment? Either way, he got exactly what he wanted—everyone talking.