Who is the NBA’s True GOAT?
The debate over the Greatest Player of All Time has never ended, and probably never will. Everyone watched different eras of basketball, and thus everyone has a different opinion.
But who is the true GOAT? That’s what I set out to find through visualization and comparing traditional and advanced stats. Aside from stats and shooting splits, I also looked at Player Efficiency Rating, Win Shares, amount of Regular Season and Finals MVPs, and All-NBA and All-Star team selections.
I compared the statistics of players who are brought up in the GOAT debate most often: Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, and Bill Russell. I also explained why they’re in the convo in the first place.
Michael Jordan
By far the most recognizable name in basketball, MJ is brought up in this debate more than anyone else. His excellence in the 80s and 90s gives him a spot in the conversation. Opposing teams had to come up with gameplans just for him, and, as we saw in The Last Dance, Detroit even had the idea of stopping him at all costs. What other player gets that kind of attention?
LeBron James
LeBron is also in this conversation frequently, and he’s always pitted against MJ. They could compare him to Bill or Kareem, but nope. His competitor HAS to be MJ. Be it the era in which they played, more All-Star appearances, or Finals records (this comes up the most), people always find ways to justify why Michael is better than LeBron, or vice versa. Recently, the King also made NBA history by passing Derek Fisher in All-Time Playoff-Wins, which is a feat that should not go unnoticed. LeBron continues to add to his impressive resume of accolades, and could keep doing so if he leads the Lakers to another championship.
Kobe Bryant
Kobe is in here because of his phenomenal style of play and that “Mamba Mentality”. He didn’t just “talk the talk”, he proved it too. He lit up opponents for 40 or 50 points, sometimes consecutively. Like others, he also inspired people to attack their goals head on and never settle. His ability to break down the game to a tee is also unmatched, as he was able to mentor younger NBA players into stardom and also share this gift with us through his ESPN+ series “Detail”.
Magic Johnson
It’s fair to say that Magic revolutionized basketball. There wasn’t a 6’9” GUARD in the league before him, let alone one who could make plays and fancy passes as well as he did. His flashy style of play and his versatility were integral parts of the “Showtime Lakers” era.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
The leading scorer in NBA history deserves to be on the list, since he was a walking bucket. At 7’3”, he and Wilt Chamberlain dominated early ’70s basketball, with their low-post presence and breathtaking blocking abilities. The Captain’s six titles and skyhook undoubtedly earn him a seat at the table of NBA legends.
Wilt Chamberlain
Chamberlain was a BEAST on the boards and averaged 30 points per game for the first nine seasons of his career. His eye-popping statistics were backed up by 13 All-Star and 10 All-NBA selections, just to name a few of his accomplishments. And, he’s also the only player in NBA history to drop 100 in a game.
Bill Russell
If this debate was centered around rings, Bill Russell would be the undisputed GOAT. His 11 NBA championships are the most by any player in the league. He spent his entire 13-year career with the Boston Celtics in the 1960s, and eight of those titles came in a surreal Finals run against the Lakers.
The Data
NOTE: Steals and blocks per game were only counted beginning in 1973, hence why Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain do not have any next to their name. The Finals MVP award was created in 1969.
All screenshots are by the author and were made on Jupyter Notebook.
