Typically, when analysts or former players weigh in on the GOAT debate, the conversation often turns into a contest of tearing one candidate down to elevate another. Whether it’s pointing out flaws, spotlighting career lows or downplaying major accomplishments, the discourse tends to create division rather than appreciation. However, Dwight Howard recently took a refreshing approach by giving equal appreciation to Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan and LeBron James, acknowledging each as deserving of the GOAT label while highlighting their dominance in unique areas which set them apart.
Howard talks about GOATs in a unique manner
During the most recent episode of his own podcast, Howard was asked to rank the three legends in order of preference. Instead of choosing sides, the three-time DPOY stood firm in his belief that all three are “one-of-one” players whose greatness cannot be fairly ranked against one another. While refusing to place them above or below each other, he did explain the individual metrics in which each player stands unmatched.
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“See, man, MJ, man, he made basketball look good – the baggy shorts, the (Jordan) 1’s and the bald head, you know, everything was cool. But that was marketing,” Howard said. “Out of all three, I believe Kobe is the best one, as far as scoring. Winning? Michael. Longevity? The whole basketball player? LeBron.”
Interestingly, although Kobe surpassed Jordan in career points, that was largely due to his five years more in the NBA. And considering how Kobe still led the league in scoring twice, Mike did so on 10 occasions out of 13 while representing the Chicago Bulls.
Moreover, MJ’s scoring average of 30.1 points per game is the highest amongst all players in NBA history. Nevertheless, one can understand that given how Howard saw Bryant average 27.3 points at the age of 35 while sharing the court with him, that bias is likely to be evident here.
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Then, when it comes to winning, given how Dwight chose Jordan, there is hardly any countering this take. With Mike winning the championship in each of his six attempts, all while carrying his team on his back as the Finals MVP, coupled with his mentality to always come out on top, there is likely no other player who would ever run synonyms with the word “winning” as His Airness.
Lastly, considering how LeBron earned an All-NBA nod at the age of 40 and is still expected to lead the Lakers to their 18th championship, even in his Year 23, that alone speaks volumes about how no other player in the league’s history has ever been associated to such heightened expectations and is capable of producing at such a high level this late in his career.
This is how modern-day GOAT discussions should be
Safe to say, Dwight’s perspective was striking not because of who he crowned as the GOAT, but because of how he reframed the discussion. Rather than diminishing one to elevate another, he urged fans and players alike to appreciate the ways in which Mamba, King and Mr. Air each carved out legacies in different facets of the game, legacies so extraordinary that they may never be replicated.
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It seems like Howard has learned quite a lot about maturity ever since entering the Hall of Fame.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Sep 16, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.