The late Elgin Baylor has always been an admirer of the game’s greatest talents. Like most of his fellow NBA legends, Baylor was also torn between Michael Jordan and LeBron James regarding the ongoing debate about who the real GOAT is.
According to Elg, people regularly asked him the same question. He has been vocal about his appreciation for MJ and James. However, Baylor suggested that LeBron’s all-around versatility is something the game has never seen.
“I get that question every day,” Baylor told NOLA.com of the GOAT debate between Jordan and James. “Someone is always calling me asking that. The thing about LeBron and Michael, they are in a different class. There are a lot of terrific players, but they are so far ahead. It’s a pleasure just to watch them play, especially LeBron and a guy his size. He’s probably the only guy in the history of basketball who can play every position.”
The world may never find another LeBron
In modern NBA discussions, Elg had almost the same take. He enjoyed watching Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry and his shooting ability. However, Baylor still put LeBron slightly ahead of the pack.
Baylor was in awe of James’s ability to do it all on the floor. In Elg’s opinion, nobody played like LeBron in any NBA era. Perhaps the world will never witness another player quite like James.
“The guys I watch mostly are (Steph) Curry and LeBron James,” the Hall of Famer revealed. “Curry is incredible to watch to see someone who can shoot it like that. When he shoots, everything is nothing but nets, so he’s fun to watch. And to see someone LeBron’s size be that agile, it’s like watching a freak of nature. You’re not going to see another guy like that in your lifetime.”
LeBron isn’t the next MJ
While many envisioned James as the next Jordan, the kid from Akron has defied these expectations by establishing a legacy that stands apart from his predecessor. He has forged his own path to greatness; just like what Baylor said, Bron has proven he is one of one.
As for the everlasting GOAT debate, it’s really difficult to pick one, but nobody said we couldn’t appreciate either LeBron or MJ.
