ESPN's Stephen A. Smith has long championed Michael Jordan as the greatest player in NBA history.
It appears Smith is changing his tune. During a recent appearance on the network, he said James may have already surpassed Jordan.
“He’s been absolutely phenomenal,” said Smith. “I’m going to sit up here today… although he annoyed the living hell out of me last week with all of that nonsense he was talking. In the end, the greatness that he has put on display. For as long as he has put on display. I’ll even go a step further. Knowing how I feel about Jordan. And I think anybody that knows basketball agrees with me. I actually think it’s time to not even have the debate anymore. Because that’s how great LeBron James has been. For as long as he has been that great. I can stand down and acknowledge that because this is absolutely phenomenal.
🚨🚨Stephen A. Smith says it's time to retire the Jordan-LeBron debate 🚨🚨 pic.twitter.com/0RyJtli7Mh
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 5, 2025
The comments came after James became the first player to reach 50,000 career points, but Smith said it's more than just that.
"But it’s not the 50,000 points," Smith said. "It’s not even the way he looked last night. It’s not even the way he’s looked this month. It’s the fact that I’m watching this brother with Anthony Davis, without Anthony Davis. With Luka (Doncic), without Luka. I’m looking a guy at 40 years of age who's in better shape than 98 percent of the league, if not more. LeBron James, especially on a morning like this, deserves all the props in the world and I’m gonna give it to him.”
Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Back In The Day Hoops On SI. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com
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