John Stockton weighed in on the GOAT debate, praising Michael Jordan’s loyalty and work ethic while taking a subtle jab at LeBron James.
The never-ending debate about NBA eras and greatness has been reignited—this time with NBA legend John Stockton giving his take on why he believes Michael Jordan career stands above LeBron James.
Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan
Position: SF, SG
Age: 62
Height: 199 cm
Weight: 98 kg
Birth place: United States of America
In a recent interview, Stockton spoke openly about what he sees as the difference in approach between the two superstars.
“I like where guys tighten their belt up and say…let’s go to work,” he said. “We just got to get better. We got to play harder. We gotta play smarter, instead of just huh, where’s the grass greener? I’m gonna go there and win a championship. I think it devalues that. You’re not climbing the mountain, you’re taking a helicopter to the top.”
Stockton, a fierce competitor and longtime Utah Jazz point guard, faced off against Jordan in two straight NBA Finals in the late '90s.
He knows firsthand what it took to win—or in his case, nearly win—at the highest level during one of the NBA's most physical and loyal eras.
His comments reflect a common criticism of LeBron: that he often chose his team situations rather than sticking it out and building from within.
From Cleveland to Miami, back to Cleveland, and now in Los Angeles, LeBron has taken control of his career by creating favorable team dynamics—something Stockton and many others from his generation view as a shortcut.
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