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LeBron James vs. Michael Jordan: Who is the NBA GOAT?
September 2, 2023 · Club Shay Shay
Claims18
Duration10 min
SS
Shannon Sharpe
Affirmative
For
Evidence50%
AI Evidence estimate
Evenly matched on evidence
Derived from fact-checks · 0-pt edge · not an audience vote
0 supported · 0 disputed · 0 checked
SA
Stephen A. Smith
Negative
Against
Evidence50%
Timeline
Evidence lensFact-check weight siding with each speaker, mapped to when each claim was made.
Playback00:00 / 10:00
00:0002:3005:0007:3010:00
Affirmative evidence shareSupported claimDisputed claim
0:00Aff
LeBron James is the GOAT because his sustained excellence over …Shannon's case
LeBron James is the GOAT because his sustained excellence over 21+ years, two-way dominance, and the unprecedented quality of opposition he faced (e.g., the 2017-18 Warriors super-team) make his résumé more complete than Jordan's.
Evidence · at 00:00AI est.
50%50%
Claims so far0
Supported0
Speakers2
Evidence share is an AI estimate from fact-check verdicts — not an audience vote.
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1
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Stephenstatistical2:47
Do you understand that Jordan is six and o in NBA finals? Do you understand that Jordan was MVP all six NBA finals? Do you understand that Jordan never even allowed a final series to go seven games?
Unchecked71/10097/100
71/100
2
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Stephenopinion1:03
The game was started in 1947. I got LeBron James, the thousands of players that have played in the NBA. I got him number two all time.
Unchecked70/10095/100
70/100
3
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Stephenstatistical9:50
Six MVP. Top leader scorer before LeBron passed him.
Unchecked69/10092/100
69/100
4
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Shannonstatistical1:58
Six NBA finals losses.
Unchecked68/10090/100
68/100
5
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Stephenopinion3:56
LeBron is universally respected and revered. MJ was feared. You know the difference between reverence and fear.
Unchecked68/10090/100
68/100
6
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Stephenopinion9:37
He will never be greater than Jordan to me. Let's go to Kareem — 19 time all star, six time league MVP, champion on a high school level.
Unchecked68/10090/100
68/100
7
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Shannonrhetorical2:31
Tell me the team that he faced that was the 2017 or the 2018 Golden State Warriors.
Unchecked67/10088/100
67/100
8
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Stephenfactual6:07
Magic Johnson in the first title. Clyde Drexler in the crew, the second title. Charles Barkley, Kevin Johnson, the third. Payton, the glove, with Sean Kemp before he became Sean Kemp. And then also, you've got Karl Malone, John Stockton.
Unchecked67/10088/100
67/100
9
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Shannonopinion6:54
What you and the old school guard have equated physicality with talent and skill. The guys in today's game are more skilled.
Unchecked67/10088/100
67/100
10
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Shannonrhetorical7:37
All that MJ did was cook. LeBron had to cook, he had to clean, he had to wait table, he had to take orders.
Unchecked67/10087/100
67/100
11
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Shannonstatistical3:09
10 time NBA scoring champion, nine time all defensive play on defensive first team.
Unchecked66/10085/100
66/100
12
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Stephenopinion6:28
You've got an NBA game that was considerably tougher at that particular moment in time than today's NBA game is in terms of physicality and what's allowed.
Unchecked66/10085/100
66/100
13
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Stephenopinion7:28
If he was playing today, he would be what he needed to be in order to be successful today.
Unchecked66/10085/100
66/100
14
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Shannonfactual1:58
Your storm happened for nine years, then took two years off. And it happened for three years. It took another three years off. And then it kinda just was like drizzling. My thought storm been going for twenty one years raining.
Unchecked64/10082/100
64/100
15
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Shannonopinion3:19
You know good well LeBron James should have won defensive player of the year. How does a smart Gasol who's a second team all defensive player be defensive player of the year?
Unchecked64/10080/100
64/100
16
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Shannonrhetorical7:50
How many guys you know that are top five scorers and top five assists?
Unchecked64/10082/100
64/100
17
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Stephenfactual8:01
They couldn't even get the ball past half court because Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan had them on lock with a full court press. We never see LeBron do that.
Unchecked64/10080/100
64/100
18
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Stephenfactual4:55
I also saw him get checked when Jason Terry was guarding him in the post in his finals against Dallas.
Unchecked63/10078/100
63/100
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10:00 · Evidence verdict