Michael Jordan and LeBron James have always ruled the NBA GOAT debate. While Jordan won six championships for the Chicago Bulls, James has led the Los Angeles Lakers, Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Miami Heat to the promised land with four total NBA titles.
Bothhave multiple franchise and league records to their names, but the debate over who the greatest is never ceases. However, former NBA champion Matt Barnes added a third wheel to the debate in the form of Kobe Bryant.
And guess what? He ranks Bryant ahead of James.
Matt Barnes’ Bold Take on LeBron James and GOAT Debate
Barnes had a 15-year career in the NBA, suiting up for multiple teams like the New York Knicks and Phoenix Suns, before ultimately winning a championship with the Golden State Warriors in 2017. He was speaking during a recent episode of “Gil’s Arena” and claimed that Bryant was often overlooked in the GOAT debate.
“I feel the three greatest players of all time are MJ, Kobe, and LeBron. So to me, you can throw any of those three up, and however you slot them, I don’t have an issue.”
“It’s weird that I feel like the outside the non-athlete media always kind of leaves Kobe out of the top five, sometimes even the top 10, and it’s crazy because the guys that played with him or against him understand what he was about, understand that drive and that killer he had.”
“On and off the court LeBron is the all-time GOAT but when it comes to basketball it’s Jordan, Kobe, then Bron…” 👀 pic.twitter.com/7LY0n0lxgI
— Gilbert Arenas (@GilsArenaShow) February 23, 2025
Barnes then made a bold statement, rating Bryant ahead of James in terms of pure basketball play. However, he acknowledged the impact the NBA all-time scorer has had off the court, declaring him the greatest of all time if both on- and off-court achievements are taken into consideration.
“I think Kobe is ahead of LeBron, doesn’t mean I dislike LeBron. I think LeBron is f****** incredible, and for him to still be doing what he’s done and the doors he has opened, and he’s got his son on the team, and he’s gonna be the owner of the Vegas franchise when that s*** happens.
“He’s done s*** that we normally don’t get opportunities to do, so I think as far as on and off the court, I think LeBron is probably the all-time GOAT. But I just think when it comes to basketball, I think it’s MJ, Kobe, and then LeBron as a respectful third.”
Many will find James’ ranking third on the list surprising, given that Bryant’s only significant record over him is five NBA titles. Bryant is third on the list of all-time scorers and averaged nearly two points and assists less per game than James.
The difference rises to three points and assists each in the playoffs, and “King James” fans may not entirely agree with Barnes’ perspective on the debate.
