Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s Warning: Before Crowning GOAT, Do Your Homework on Michael and LeBron

In 2011, as the NBA’s Greatest of All Time (GOAT) debate intensified between Michael Jordan and LeBron James, Scottie Pippen fueled the discussion by suggesting that James “may be the greatest player to ever play the game.” Predictably, Pippen’s statement drew reactions from NBA legends, including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

As a seasoned player and an advocate for legends from earlier eras, Abdul-Jabbar took issue with Pippen’s choice for the GOAT. In a detailed and candid letter, Abdul-Jabbar sought to educate Pippen on how to objectively determine the best player based on historical facts rather than personal opinions.

Within the letter, Kareem insinuated that despite the allure of Jordan and LeBron’s careers, historical data and statistics only support Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell as contenders for the GOAT title.

“Your comments are off because of your limited perspective. You obviously never saw Wilt Chamberlain play, who undoubtedly was the greatest scorer this game has ever known. When did MJ ever average 50.4 points per game plus 25.7 rebounds? (Wilt in the 1962 season when blocked shot statistics were not kept). We will never accurately know how many shots Wilt blocked. Oh, by the way, in 1967 and 68. Wilt was a league leader in assists. Did MJ ever score 100 points in a game?” Abdul-Jabbar queried Pippen.

“How many times did MJ score more than 60 points in a game? MJ led the league in scoring in consecutive seasons for 10 years, but he did this in an NBA that eventually expanded into 30 teams vs. when Wilt played, and there were only eight teams. Every team had the opportunity to amass a solid nucleus,” he continued.

Apart from enlightening Pippen on his perspective of the GOAT debate, Abdul-Jabbar also used the letter to share his views on the NBA’s evolution.

“MJ has to be appraised in perspective. His incredible athletic ability, charisma, and leadership on the court helped to make basketball popular around the world — no question about that. But in terms of greatness, MJ has to take a backseat to The Stilt… Bill played on a total of 11 Championship teams, and as you very well know, Scottie, the ring is the thing, and everything else is just statistics. So, I would advise you to do a little homework before crowning Michael or LeBron with the title of best ever,” he emphasized.