The GOAT debate never really leaves the court. Whether it’s Stephen A. Smith badgering Shannon Sharpe over MJ, or Shannon praising the longevity of his GOAT, LeBron James, we’ve all witnessed this relentless tug-of-war. LeBron lives rent-free in Jordan fans’ heads. Jordan does the same in LeBron’s. Basketball is probably the only sport where grown adults still have deep-fried stat memes from 2014 saved on their phones, ready to discredit the other side. And now, somehow, Caitlin Clark has been pulled into the center of this never-ending fast break — and her take didn’t exactly sit well with everyone.

We all know LeBron James is like those fans who have followed Caitlin from Iowa to the Fever. The 4x MVP has never shied from hyping her up, posting pictures and hot takes throughout her 2024 NCAA tournament run like a proud uncle with super fast Wi-Fi. So, when the new W season tipped off, it was no shocker that King James was back online, singing her praises once again. And honestly? She earned it. Clark went full “transcendental” mode against the Chicago Sky, dropping a triple-double and becoming the fastest player to notch three of those, tying with none other than Candace Parker for third-most in WNBA history.

James hence made a case for himself to be appointed as the president of the CC fan club, writing, “TRIPLE DUB CC!! Great way to kick off the season!” And why stop with Twitter when you have an Instagram account, too, right? Posting a trio of pictures from when the two basketball stars crossed paths in an arena tunnel recently, he wrote, “Good luck and DO YOU per usual this season!!!”

Then came Clark’s comment that flipped a switch in one of basketball’s most sensitive fan bases: “That’s like my idol. LeBron is the GOAT to me.”

It was short. Honest. And for some, unforgivable.
Clark, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft and now the face of the Indiana Fever, made what felt like a natural comment. But in today’s world of generational loyalty and GOAT gospel, it didn’t land that easily.
Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant fans — two factions not known for taking GOAT slander lightly — flooded the comment sections and forums in disbelief.

Fans sound off on Caitlin Clark’s GOAT pick

One fan wrote, “Lmao don’t matter she wears Kobe’s. If she really idolized LeBron, she would have modeled her shoe after his brand. But smh.”

It is quite funny to see how quickly sentiments change when the GOAT debate pops up. Just three months ago, people were tired of seeing her wear player-exclusive Kobe shoes for a very different reason. When it was announced that the Kobe 5 Protro “Indiana Fever” is set to release later this year, frustration was at an all-time high. “Come on. We don’t want Kobes. We want CC1s,” fans began clamoring, asking for her signature shoes to be released instead. And now? Well, they are practically defending Kobe’s shoes just because she has an opinion of her own?

And it is not like she does not admire Kobe. If she hails James as the greatest, then she hails Bryant as someone who had the greatest impact. She’s been seen time and again lacing up Kobe Bryant’s signature kicks — a clear tribute to the late legend’s legacy. Most recently, at the Indiana Fever’s home opener on May 17, 2025, Clark stunned in the exclusive Nike Kobe 5 Protro “Rookie of the Year” sneakers — a sleek metallic silver with university red, made to celebrate her breakout WNBA season. And you must remember how she recreated that iconic picture of him with the trophy. 

Do you know who Clark credited after winning the first game in May last year? Yes, Kobe Bryant. She had even clearly said ahead of the WNBA 2024 All-Star Weekend–“I’m a Kobe person, everybody knows that”. Yeah, so not everyone, it seems? Anyway, sneaker choices are just the tip of the iceberg in this raging, never-ending GOAT debate that keeps fans fired up and glued to their screens.

Another fan chimed in, “Michael Jordan and it’s not even close. Kobe and LeBron are debatable.”

Ah yes, the eternal barbershop debate with the same old argument that somehow resurfaces every time someone so much as breathes in the direction of the NBA. Now, it is true that Jordan is the basketball messiah for many, and not without reason. The man strolled into six NBA Finals and left with six rings and six Finals MVPs. That spotless 6-0 record? Yeah, the mic drop moment.

Kobe Bryant is often seen as the closest competitor in terms of skill and killer mentality, with 5 championship rings and a relentless work ethic. However, his Finals record (5-2) and fewer individual accolades like MVP awards keep him just a notch below Jordan in many eyes. LeBron James earns praise for his longevity, versatility, and all-around dominance, but some point to his Finals record (4-6) and perceived lack of killer instinct in key moments as reasons he falls behind Jordan.

But here’s the thing: can we please, for the love of Dr. Naismith, stop pretending the NBA has only ever featured two or three players? 

Yet, adding fuel to the fire, one fan wrote, “Bron sick because Jordan has the media coverage so in Bron style he ran for help and got a media darling that can do no wrong for help again.”

While that’s some serious shade, it’s important to remember Caitlin Clark’s admiration for LeBron is genuine and mutual. So is LeBron’s. On his podcast Mind The Game, last year, LeBron praised Clark saying, “Caitlin Clark is the reason why a lot of great things are gonna happen for the WNBA.” Nike perfectly summed it up in a comment: “Greatness will always recognize greatness.”

And considering how Clark reacted to James’ post, her appreciation seems anything but fabricated. When asked about the special shout-out that James gave her on Instagram, she fairly implied how starstruck she was–she literally thought it was fake at first. “I mean, it’s just really cool. I saw that…And I was like, oh, my gosh. Like, I thought it was kind of fake at first…I didn’t know. I was like, wait, is this actually LeBron James?” she said. “I knew the picture was LeBron because I knew that was me. But, yeah, that was pretty incredible. Like, I don’t get too starstruck, but he’s one of those people that I did.”

Now, this other fan took a different kind of dig, reminding everyone, “She wasn’t born in Jordan’s era folks, she wasn’t even born at the beginning of Kobe’s!”

And that’s true. Caitlin Clark was born on January 22, 2002, in Des Moines, Iowa, well after Michael Jordan’s prime and during Kobe’s later playing years. Jordan’s peak was mostly through the late 1980s to late 1990s, with his last NBA game in 2003. Kobe’s prime stretched from the early 2000s to mid-2010s, retiring in 2016. So, Clark grew up watching the tail end of Kobe’s career. But she is twenty-three years old and is an adult. So, to each their own, we say.