JJ Redick weighs in on the evergreen GOAT debate between Michael Jordan and LeBron James

LeBron James has been playing in the NBA for 23 years, which is also the number of years since Michael Jordan retired. They never crossed paths with each other, but they have been connected for a long time. 

People have been embroiled in the Greatest Of All Time debate between these two players for a long time. A lot of people have weighed in over the years, and that now includes Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick.

Redick knows there is a distinction between the GOAT candidates

For a long time, Jordan became the undisputed GOAT of the sport of basketball. He dominated the 1990s with the Chicago Bulls, winning six championships with two three-peats.

He took some time off between the two instances, but he still had a secure legacy. Jordan seemed untouchable at the top of the basketball world, but James entered the league in 2003, and he has been at the top ever since.

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While it will ultimately come down to preference, these two players have become the best candidates for GOAT status. There are endless arguments about the two players on social media, traditional media, and even in casual conversations.

Redick is an experienced media member, but he is now the coach of the Lakers, who have James as a centerpiece. For Redick, it is still a toss-up between the two megastars.

"It’s hard to compare eras and play styles. To me, it's even harder to compare stats. Jordan is 1, LeBron is 1; Jordan is 2, LeBron is 2. However, you want to do it, to me, they’re the two greatest players of all time," Redick said about this debate.

Over the past two seasons, Redick has seen James' greatness up close. He has always heard stories about James, but he never got to see him. Now that he's coaching, Redick has even more respect for the 23-year veteran.

However, he still has no definitive answer to the GOAT debate. That just shows how great both players are because they continue to elicit that kind of reaction from all types of basketball fans.

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