Basketball fans can only count on the NBA season from October through June. However, one of the conversations that the hoops community can look forward to around the calendar is the debate on who is the greatest basketball player of all time.
Popularly known as the GOAT debate, the argument is mainly centered around Michael Jordan and current Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James. Of course, the debate is not just limited to those two, as the Lakers faithful would always vouch for the franchise’s all-time leading scorer Kobe Bryant or the NBA’s all-time leading scorer in Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
The debate gets more interesting when former NBA players chime in on who they believe is the No. 1 player ever though. Allen Iverson was asked about who he believes the GOAT is and the answer is contrary to what many in his generation believe, via MaskedInLA:
“As much as I love Jordan, LeBron James is the ONE”
-Allen Iverson on the GOAT debate
— Masked In LA 🎭 (@MaskedInLA) September 2, 2022
Iverson, who is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of NBA fashion and the player with the greatest handle of all time, is respected in NBA history. With this bold take, the chance for James to eclipse Jordan in the GOAT debate has gained traction.
Some NBA legends like 16-time NBA All-Star Julius Erving take a neutral approach to the conversation by saying it is not fair. Others like ESPN’s Jalen Rose side with Jordan instead of James in the debate.
Like the Black Mamba said, the GOAT debate will always be subjective and indefensible argument. While it is entertaining to see a four-time scoring champion in Iverson share his views, the neutral approach to appreciate all the great players in history seems to be the best way to go about the conversation.
Swider & Former Syracuse Teammate To Launch NBA Podcast
The NBA prides itself on player independence, but moreso with how their players build their own brands. Combined with the rapid growth of the digital media industry, professional athletes have found a lane to be themselves in contrary to the mainstream media and create a platform for what they do outside of basketball.
Players like Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green and Miami Heat wing Duncan Robinson have created podcasts and been successful with it. The Lakers have a rookie who is entering the direction these athletes have gone.
Lakers rookie forward Cole Swider and his old Syracuse teammate Paddy Casey announced they are launching an NBA podcast to give deep insight to coaching and the players in the league.
As more and more NBA athletes find their voice on the podcast stage, the more access fans will have to exclusive content and opinions about the game of basketball.
The knowledge a player like Swider has, combined with his stellar performance during the Lakers Summer League season, will potentially produce a great podcast for Lakers and non-Lakers fans.
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