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"You can’t say one was better than the other" - Toni Kukoc settles the GOAT debate by explaining the difference between Michael Jordan and LeBron James


It's unlikely the debate over whether Michael Jordan or LeBron James is the GOAT will ever end. While it's becoming increasingly clear that LeBron will have a tough time catching Michael's six championships – the ultimate standard in all of these discussions – his incredible longevity has kept him in the conversation.

He's entering a record-breaking 23rd season, just 49 games away from surpassing Robert Parish for the most games played in the history of the Association. At the same time, he has already broken Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's record for the most points scored all-time.

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Kukoc gave his perspective on the GOAT debate

Toni Kukoc, someone who James himself said he admired, won three straight titles with Jordan, and it would seem logical that he would name Jordan as the GOAT. However, in an interview with Brandon "Scoop B" Robinson, Kukoc offered a unique perspective.

"When it comes to pure – like okay, Michael from the '80's and '90's or LeBron from 2000 or 2010's you can't say one was better than the other. Michael obviously brought world basketball to another level," Kukoc said in a podcast interview with Brandon "Scoop B".

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"If I can compare Michael, I would compare him to Tiger [Woods] with golf, Messi or Ronaldo with soccer, [Michael] Phelps with swimming and stuff like that. Because of those things, Michael is – I can't say the best player, but he is a GOAT of basketball. I don't think it's selfish, it's just the way it is."

Kukoc calls Jordan the GOAT

Kukoc's view of comparing their periods of dominance is easy to understand. In the '90s, Jordan went six-for-six in the Finals, while in 2010, James reached eight straight NBA Finals.

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Still, Kukoc emphasized Jordan's impact on the game itself as the reason he calls MJ the GOAT, which he distinguished from simply being the best player. For Kukoc, the off-court impact matters, where Jordan is unmatched. Without him, it would be hard to imagine the league being at today's level of global popularity. While James has undoubtedly impacted the game, it hasn't been to the same degree as Jordan.

Kukoc gives James the ultimate credit

Some might find it surprising that The Waiter doesn't call His Airness the best player, especially since The King has played a similar style of all-around basketball. From that perspective, Kukoc doesn't hand MJ the title of best player outright, instead giving credit to both. Kukoc also touched on another key element of the GOAT debate.

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"From that point on, LeBron is what LeBron is now, that he gave a chance for Luka to be Luka or Jokic to be Jokic. You could never imagine that back in the days," the three-time champion with the Chicago Bulls told Robinson.

LeBron shaped the league into the positionless era

From that perspective, LeBron's influence on the game is often underrated when discussing players who ushered the league into new eras.

Suppose Mike deserves credit for the commercialization and globalization of the NBA, making it a global product and opening the door for the massive contracts players enjoy today. In that case, Bron deserves credit for shaping the product the league sells now.

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Players like Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic, whose versatility allows them to dominate as all-around superstars, are precisely the type keeping the NBA at a high level. And in Kukoc's eyes, it's the Los Angeles Lakers forward w ho deserves credit for the league continuing to thrive and evolve.

Related: Snoop Dogg on why the GOAT debate between Michael Jordan and LeBron James isn't simple: "They never played against the same competition"

This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Oct 1, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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