The sporting world has seen numerous debates for the ultimate GOAT, be it tennis, basketball, or even boxing. While Roger Federer vs Rafael Nadal has been one among them, the debate between Michael Jordan and LeBron James has been brewing for years. While different personalities have had their take on this with their theories, this debate seems to never be solved. However, Nick Kyrgios came up with his own version during a recent podcast.
The Australian tennis star has taken a break from the sport and is currently more involved in off-court pursuits. In the latest episode of the Good Trouble podcast, he was involved in a conversation with Mike Tyson. During their chat, Kyrgios used Tyson’s viewpoint about Muhammad Ali to clear the debate between Jordan and James.
The topic picked up after Kyrgios asked Tyson who were his biggest influencers that inspired him during his fights. Tyson replied by saying that it was Roberto Duran, who was his number 1 pick in this regard. “Ali caused me to be interested in boxing, but Roberto Duran made me wanna fight – this is what I’m going to do,” Tyson tells Kyrgios.
Further, Tyson went on to mention how Ali was a better fighter and how he inspired the youngsters to be better. While this conversation was brewing up, Kyrgios used this analogy to reveal that LeBron James was better than Michael Jordan. Meanwhile, this is not the first time Kyrgios has picked James over Jordan. He once sparked fire after siding with James.
When Nick Kyrgios angered Michael Jordan fans
A few years back, a video went viral about Kyrgios walking away after making a strong statement dismissive of Michael Jordan. He said, “LeBron’s better than Jordan. Not even a debate. Kobe’s better than Jordan. Not even a debate.” Kyrgios’ stern remark on Jordan didn’t go down well with his fans, who hit back at the Australian star with strong comments.
Overall, the basketball community is divided in terms of the GOAT status. While some consider it to be Jordan, some others believe that it is LeBron James and a section of fans also rate Kobe Bryant over the others. Thus, this GOAT debate can never be settled as far as basketball is concerned. Much like tennis where the likes of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic often become the focal point of this debate.