Just like anybody else, he is entitled to his opinion.
GOAT debates in the NBA are always difficult, if not problematic. All sides have compelling, although at times ludicrous, arguments that can sway public opinion.
It seems that one of the most logical ways to approach this conundrum is to get an answer directly from an actual basketball Hall of Famer, one who has played and lived the game. Recently, the debates have centered on the point guard position as people asked who between Magic Johnson and Steph Curry is the GOAT floor general.
Los Angeles Lakers great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, a former teammate of Johnson, chimed in.
“I don't think you're going to want to hear this, Oscar Robertson. The Big O. I only had the chance to play with him at the end of his career, but he was awesome,” Abdul-Jabbar said in an interview with Justin Walters of PIX11 and CBS Sports.
“The people that had seen him play in the prime of his career, and with the 3-point shot, Oscar had 3-point range," the six-time NBA MVP stressed.
It might be shocking to some but come to think of it, Kareem played with The Big O and won an NBA championship with him in 1971. Surely, he knows what he's talking about. That being said, the Lakers icon felt the need to clarify his stance to the Purple and Gold nation, who understandably are on Team Magic. After all, the flashy point guard and Kareem won five NBA titles together playing for the Showtime Lakers in the 1980s.
Abdul-Jabbar went on X, formerly known as Twitter, to plead his case.
“I picked Oscar Robinson. But I should have said, first of all, that Magic should really get the priority because I played with him on five world championships together and he’s my best teammate ever. So, I can’t put anybody else in front of him,” he said in a video recording.
“But I have to give credit to Oscar for being the complete player that he was and an example for a whole lot of players who have come behind him. And it’s almost impossible for me to determine who’s the best between all those guys,” Abdul-Jabbar added.
Well, there you have it. GOAT debates are unsolvable puzzles even for the GOATs themselves. Still, the next time a hot topic emerges, fans will hop on it quicker than a Magic Johnson bullet pass.
(GM)