Zeke is furious with the disrespect his peers receive.
The level of talent in today’s NBA is at an all-time high. As a result, comparisons with previous eras are inevitable. Still, some players would have been dominant regardless of their era. Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James is undoubtedly one of those guys.
Now, if James played during the 1970s or 1980s, how many NBA titles would he have won? Former NBA guard Lou Williams recently claimed that James would have won 15 straight championships had he played in 1975. Isiah Thomas took offense to this statement and called it “comical.”
Zeke’s take on the GOAT debate
While the Detroit Pistons legend disagreed with the fact that James’ generation is the first set of athletically gifted players, his opinion on who’s the greatest player of all time has changed over time.
Now, the two-time NBA champion believes the GOAT debate is a three-horse race, with Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and LeBron being the only guys worthy of consideration.
Thomas explained that he started with MJ as his GOAT, but his opinion changed after looking into Kareem’s achievements. But when James surpassed Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, the 12x NBA All-Star once again changed his opinion.
I find it comical and laughable how some not all people think this is the first generation of basketball players that athletically could run and jump. I’m not sure he would be the best athlete in 1975
all things being equal. https://t.co/U9vsBfoHG8— Isiah Thomas (@IsiahThomas) July 25, 2024
Thomas on why James is more skilled than Jordan
There is no doubt that The King has broken a plethora of records throughout his career. Despite the Lakers star’s incredible achievements, the consensus is that MJ is still the undisputed GOAT, primarily due to his perfect 6-0 record in the NBA Finals.
That said, Thomas thinks James is better at some things than his fierce rival. For example, he explained why LeBron is a more skilled player than the Bulls legend.
“But if we take away those gifts and I say, ‘Okay, who is the best basketball player all-around?’ It’s no comparison,” Isiah said. “The eye test and the method of measurement in terms of analytics and numbers confirm what your eyes are seeing.”
Zeke did say Jordan’s freakish athletic ability made him stand out among his peers. But those aside, the Pistons legend believes James is a more skilled player than Jordan. However, that still doesn’t mean that Zeke believes James would have easily dominated the NBA in 1975, as opposed to what many players and fans believe.