Social media can tend to be a disaster when it comes to debating almost anything, right down to something relatively innocent, like “hot dogs vs. hamburgers.”
That notion is particularly true any time the topic of “GOAT” (Greatest of All Time) comes up.
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Whether it’s in regard to the greatest rapper of all time—the Tupac/Biggie debate will likely never end—or the greatest athlete of all time, it’s kind of become a continuous carousel of noise where no one really ever changes their mind.
One of the most common debates that can be found on a daily, nearly hourly basis is whether or not LeBron James has surpassed Michael Jordan as the NBA’s quintessential “GOAT.”
For topics that typically end up getting as heated as the LeBron vs. MJ “conversation,” sometimes it might make the most sense to lean on the big guns for a definitive declaration.
And who better than hockey royalty like Wayne Gretzky—quite literally known as “The Great One”—to put a very clear stamp on said debate?
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So, during a recent appearance on the New Heights podcast with Jason and Travis Kelce, Gretzky was asked for his opinion on that very topic.
“Well the NBA’s pretty easy,” Gretzky casually stated. “Twenty-three, that one’s pretty easy, right.”
While James and Jordan both stake claim to No. 23, Travis quickly confirmed by saying, “Mike, yeah,” seemingly to prevent any kind of confusion before moving on.
Now, while this is just Gretzky’s opinion, the beauty of the great No. 99 throwing his opinion into the often tense NBA “GOAT” conversation is that it’s offered up a brand new layer to the social media chatter, as basketball fans can now begin debating as to whether or not Wayne Gretzky is right or wrong.
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The four-time Stanley Cup champion went on to discuss the greatest to ever do it in each of the other major sports—MLB, NFL and NHL—and did not name himself when it came to the hockey “GOAT” even though there are many sports fans out there who deem him as such.
Related: Scottie Scheffler’s Son Had Unfortunate Bathroom Accident at Memorial Tournament
Wayne Gretzky Names Greatest Basketball Player of All Time first appeared on Men’s Journal on Jun 2, 2025