Former Utah Jazz point guard John Stockton is one of the best players to ever play the game. The 6'1" guard is the NBA's all-time leader in assists and steals and is so by such a wide margin that people say they are unbreakable records.
But when it comes to the greatest of all time, the names that come to mind first are Michael Jordan, LeBron James , and Kobe Bryant - in no particular order. When Stockton was asked who his GOAT is, the Gonzaga product said it's none of the three.
"Well, I wouldn't use those three," said Stockton via Oddsshark Sports . "Some of those three or one of those three wouldn't be even in my Top 5. I hate that question and I get asked it all the time. Who are you guys... who is anybody to say 'Well, it's either of those three'?"
It's not just about MJ, Bron, and Kobe
Jordan is widely considered by many as the greatest basketball player of all time. MJ went 6-0 in the NBA Finals, leading the Chicago Bulls to six NBA championships during 8 years from 1991-98. He won five MVP awards, six Finals MVPs, and the Defensive Player of the Year trophy in 1988.
Meanwhile, LeBron is perceived as MJ's closest competitor in the never-ending debate. King James is the NBA's all-time leading scorer, the holder of numerous longevity records, a four-time MVP, and a four-time champion. On the other hand, Kobe was the MJ copycat who won five championships with the Los Angeles Lakers. But Stockton says it's not one of them.
"Wilt Chamberlain, they changed rules to negate how dominant he was. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, leading scorer and shot blocker in the history of the game for 40 years, is it? Now I know LeBron passed him and things like that, but he passed him with three-point lines and change of rules. There's so many guys that I would put in that handful first five, and I'm not certain that the guys that are suggested are always the ones that I would put in there with them," added Stockton.
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The debate is subjective
But even if the GOAT debate currently goes back and forth between Jordan and James, with some throwing Kobe's name in it, it's a never-ending discussion, and the answers are very subjective. It's worth noting that the names Stockton mentioned—Wilt and Kareem—are often forgotten in that debate.
Wilt and Kareem were legends who forced the NCAA and NBA to change the rules of the game to curb their dominance. Chamberlain also put up ridiculous averages and once had a 100-point scoring game. Abdul-Jabbar won more MVP awards than anyone in history, with 6, and was the league's all-time scoring leader for over 40 decades before King James recently passed him.
Stockton said at least one of MJ, Bron, and Kob doesn't even make his Top 5 list. Most likely, that guy is either LeBron or Kobe, and anyone can make an argument for either. But as far as Jordan is concerned, it's hard not to put MJ in the GOAT debate. Maybe Stockton is still salty about losing two Finals to the Bulls.
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