**”Why Did Michael Jordan Rank Larry Bird in His Top Five All-Time Players Ahead of LeBron James?”**

**”Why Did Michael Jordan Rank Larry Bird in His Top Five All-Time Players Ahead of LeBron James?”**

In the 2009 GOAT discussion, Michael Jordan made a daring claim that Larry Bird was superior to LeBron James. Jordan included Bird on his list of the all-time greats, explaining that no small forward could match the legendary Boston Celtics player.

But Jordan stated as much in Jackie MacMullan’s 2009 book When the Game Was Ours, right before James won his first NBA championship but right before he was collecting his first MVP award. “Larry was a debate,” Jordan remarked. He is still the same. “I’m frequently asked who my all-time five favorite players are, and every time I say Larry, someone stops me. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” they exclaim. He is unable to compete with LeBron James!

They say, ‘You folks don’t get it.'” than be honest, I’m still not sure if Larry is a power forward or a small forward, but he is significantly superior than any small forward that participated in the game. James has now demonstrated that he is deserving of a spot in the all-time top five, winning four NBA titles with three different clubs and three further MVP awards. And even though the 18-time All-Star turns 38 later this month, he still matures like a beautiful wine. James is averaging 27.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, 6.5 assists, and 1.2 steals in his 20th NBA season—numbers that no player 37 years of age or older has ever recorded in the league.

The Lakers forward is getting closer to a number of NBA greats who are all-time greats, including as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who has held the scoring record for more than 40 years. Some people, like Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors, may still leave James out of their all-time starting lineups. Furthermore, the NBA just named the new MVP trophy after six-time champion and five-time MVP Michael Jordan, demonstrating how unresolved the GOAT controversy is. However, in general, James has proven himself worthy of being ranked either alongside or ahead of Bird as the greatest player in league history.