Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James—we are looking at three NBA legends. However, trying to hail one of them as the GOAT has been a debate that has lasted for decades. While there has been much discussion regarding who the real GOAT is, former NBA All-Star Stephon Marbury recently weighed in on the topic.
In a recent episode of ‘Come And Talk 2 Me’ podcast with Mark Jackson, Marbury revealed who he prefers as the Greatest Of All Time. Quite expected, Marbury chose Michael Jordan. He then went on to justify his pick while also giving Kobe Bryant his deserved flowers. In fact, Marbury mentioned how Jordan and Bryant were not as physically gifted as LeBron James in their rookie years.
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“[Michael] Jordan… This question is great for every podcast. It should be a standard question… I love other people’s answers, when they say different players. If they say someone other than Jordan, and LeBron. I never put LeBron with Jordan. I used to always say it’s between Kobe and Jordan… When you watch Kobe play and you watch LeBron play, it’s two different styles. LeBron is a 6’8″ pure juggernaut, 280. Different…” said Marbury on the podcast. Well, this was not an exclusive instance of Marbury lashing out at LeBron James. In fact, the duo’s rivalry dates way back.
Stephon Marbury vs. LeBron James: Beef Explained
The roots of LeBron James and Stephon Marbury dates way back to 2007. During that period, Marbury was under contract with Steve & Barry’s. Launching his exclusive sneakers collection, the ‘Starbury’ retailed for $14.98. Taking a dig at the lower price tag, James said, “Me being with Nike, we hold our standards high… And we do a great job of putting out great merchandise, great shoes. It does come with a price that is pretty high, but at the same time you’re getting great quality for it.”
“Shouldn’t even be mentioned in the same breath as MJ.”
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) August 13, 2024
– Stephon Marbury on LeBron James pic.twitter.com/X9JA0MwQJR
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Such a statement naturally did not sit well with Marbury. The 2x All-NBA guard hit out at James claiming that he did not do enough homework. “I don’t think [James] did his homework… We’re putting out the same stuff he’s putting out, just at an affordable price. But I understand that he’s got to say that because it’s part of the business,” Marbury said, marking the beginning to their now famous rivalry.
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