Michael Jordan or LeBron James?Larry Bird makes big statement, weighs in on NBA GOAT battle

The debate between Jordan and LeBron is as old as time.

To some, his presence is the greatest to ever grace a basketball court, while others believe the King himself is unlike anyone before or after him.

Many people have weighed in with their opinions, and it appears NBA legend Larry Bird also has his horse in the mix.

When it comes to all-around greatness in the NBA, Larry Bird is nearly unmatched.

As far as NBA history is concerned, only Bird has won Rookie of the Year, Most Valuable Player, NBA Finals MVP, All-Star Game MVP, Coach of the Year and Executive of the Year.

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What did Larry Bird say?

In a recent interview, I accused fans of not appreciating LeBron James.

Bird even crowned the Lakers star the greatest of all time.

Bird said: “I tell people to stop complaining about LeBron. Enjoy his time here. He is unbelievable. To me, he is one of the greatest, if not the greatest of all time.”

Larry Bird doesn’t want any of LeBron James’ teammates

Bird has always respected James throughout his 21-year career, despite criticism from others over his then-controversial decision to join the Miami Heat.

After seven years with the Cleveland Cavaliers, James left the team in 2012 to pursue better opportunities in Miami, winning back-to-back NBA championships in 2012 and 2013.

From there, James divided the next decade between three teams where he was able to develop and make an impact, winning a total of four championships.

Bird has decades of experience in the game and was an accomplished scout during his time as a coach and general manager.

He led the Pacers to the 2000 NBA Finals and was named Executive of the Year in 2012.

However, even before Bird was recognized in 2012, Bird had already made some moves that benefited the Pacers and avoided others.

LeBron James has long been Bird’s favorite player, but Bird was adamantly opposed to the Pacers trading James’ Cleveland teammate.

That’s when he realized LeBron improved his teammates and made them look better than they actually were.

According to Ian Thomsen’s book “The Soul of Basketball,” Bird said, “(Former Pacers general manager David) Morway tried to get me to trade them (J.J. Hickson and James’ other teammates), but I don’t accept “any of them—the guys up there. “You don’t understand, they are,” I said. The players playing alongside LeBron James look more talented than them.

Bird is also quoted in Thomson’s book as saying, “LeBron should do whatever he wants.” “He’s the best player I’ve ever seen,” in fact, I just stood there when he came over. Watch him play.

Unfortunately, the current Lakers star never got the chance to take on the legendary former Celtics coach, but Bird’s early comments about James show that his greatness is recognized regardless of his supporting cast. .

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