Home

NBA

“If He Passes the Great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar”: Shaquille O’Neal Re-Ensures His Michael Jordan Stance Over Lebron James’ Greatness

Published 12/17/2022, 3:50 PM EST

Follow Us

via Imago

The LeBron James vs Michael Jordan GOAT conversation has been the favorite pass time for NBA fans and analysts alike for quite some time now. Most of the time, the debate does not reach a fruitful conclusion. Shaquille O’Neal has been a big advocate for MJ’s GOAT status over the years. Like many players of his generation, he believes the Chicago Bulls legend is the greatest to ever do it. However, in a recent viral clip, Shaq addressed whether James will become the GOAT after becoming the All-Time Top Scorer in NBA history.

The Los Angeles Lakers led by LeBron James have not had the best of seasons for the past two years. However, James has been brilliant individually and he has broken multiple records during this time. In fact, King James is set to pass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and become the Top Scorer in NBA history in the 2022-23 season.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Shaq addresses LeBron James passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar soon

During a recent appearance on the DrinkChamps podcast, Shaq brought up the topic of LeBron passing up Kareem in the current season and whether that will make him the GOAT. The hosts of the podcast responded with a resounding no.

USA Today via Reuters

Talking about the topic, Shaquille O’Neal offered his thoughts. He said, “So, if he pass up the great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in points, does that make him the greatest player ever?”

Trending

Get instantly notified of the hottest NBA stories via Google! Click on Follow Us and Tap the Blue Star.

Follow Us

“Alright, so hold on. Now you say no, so if somebody is better than me and I pass them up, are they really better than me? Just asking,” he added.

Although Shaq applauds James for becoming the Top Scorer soon, the GOAT for him will always be Michael Jordan. The Big Diesel has argued in favor of MJ and Kobe for the GOAT status on several occasions on live TV. He once famously wanted to walk away from an ESPN show when a co-panelist had suggested MJ and Kobe didn’t stand a chance against LeBron James in terms of All-Time greatness.

When will LeBron pass Kareem?

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar holds the title of the highest scorer in NBA history with 38,387 points, a record that seemed unbreakable at one point in time. However, LeBron James is doing the unthinkable. 

He currently has 37,622 points and is closing in on the record. According to reports, if James averages 27.5 points this season, he can achieve the milestone in around 49 games. He currently averages 26.7 points this season and will surely break Kareem’s record if he stays healthy and in form.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

WATCH THIS STORY: Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Charles Barkley, And Other NBA Stars Who Have Endorsed Video Games

When do you think LeBron James will break Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s record? Let us know in the comments down below.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE :

Written by:

Abhinava Ghosh

1,823Articles

One take at a time

Abhinava is an NBA writer for EssentiallySports. He is currently pursuing his Bachelor's in Journalism and Mass Communication. Abhinava has been following NBA for the past 6 years and is a huge fan of the Golden State Warriors and Stephen Curry.
Show More>

Edited by:

Satagni Sikder