Sports News Report
League: NBASport: BasketballCountry: United StatesCategory: Interviews

Stephen A. Smith discusses LeBron James and Michael Jordan's GOAT status

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jun 12, 2026, 11:49 AM

Last updated Jun 12, 2026

Stephen A. Smith discusses LeBron James and Michael Jordan's GOAT status
Summary

During a segment on ESPN's 'First Take' on June 12, 2026, Stephen A. Smith addressed LeBron James' claim that he is the greatest of all time (GOAT) after an interview with Time magazine. Smith emphasized that Michael Jordan has never referred to himself in such terms. He pointed out that other basketball legends like Kobe Bryant and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar also refrained from declaring themselves as the greatest. The discussion reignites the long-standing debate regarding GOAT status in the NBA.

Source Links
Yahoo Sports
Key Details
  • •LeBron James claims he is the GOAT in a recent Time magazine interview
  • •Stephen A. Smith speaks on 'First Take' about the GOAT debate
  • •Smith asserts Michael Jordan has never claimed the title of greatest
  • •Smith references other NBA legends who avoided calling themselves the GOAT
  • •Discussion highlights ongoing debates about player legacies in the NBA
Latest Updates
  • 11:49 AMYahoo Sports — Stephen A. Smith on LeBron James: 'Michael Jordan has never, ever, ever, once called himself the greatest'
What they're saying
"

Stephen A. Smith on LeBron James: 'Michael Jordan has never, ever, ever, once called himself the greatest'

Related Teams & Leagues
NBABasketball

Sources

External links

Original reporting and copyright belong to the linked sources. SportsNewsReport.com aggregates and links — it does not republish full articles.

Related Stories

Last 14 days