Column: Five interesting basketball conversations other than LeBron vs Jordan
Micheal is tired of the constant LeBron vs James debates, especially when there are a plethora of diverse conversations in and around basketball.
Who is the greatest NBA player ever? A question that after several decades of basketball has been largely narrowed down to two names, Michael Jordan and LeBron James. There are many interesting facts about this conversation to discuss. However, with Jordan versus LeBron being one of the most publicized sports debates of the past 20 years, it can often feel like a stale conversation. These five basketball conversations are engaging, but not quite as trodden as the current GOAT debate.
1. The New Face of the NBA
With LeBron James being the face of the NBA for the past 20 years, his imminent retirement begs the question of who the next face of the league will be.
Anthony Edwards, a human highlight reel. The 22 year-old has already shown himself to be electrifying with highlight dunk after highlight dunk. When not scoring, Edwards is impactful on the defensive end. This was exemplified in game 7 of this year’s conference semifinals, in which Jamal Murray was held to 11 points in the second half (down from 24 in the first) after having Edwards switched onto him.
Perhaps it’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – who while efficiently averaging 30 points – led a young Oklahoma City Thunder team to the No. 1 seed in the western conference. It could also be Luka Doncic, who has proven to be an elite scorer with elite court vision as well. Leading the league in scoring while averaging 9 rebounds and 9 assists, Doncic has lived up to the name “Luka Magic” in every way.
Seemingly possessing the highest ceiling of them all is the 7’4 frenchman Victor Wembanyama. With 254 blocks in the season averaging 3.6 blocks a game, the 2024 number 1 draft pick arguably should’ve won defensive player of the year.
With a generation of young players that is possibly the most talented in the history of the NBA it is quite compelling to look to the future, rather than rehash the GOAT debate.
2. Kevin Durant Golden State Warriors vs 90’s Chicago Bulls
Jordan being constantly pitted against LeBron in discussion makes sense, however LeBron’s greatest rivals would be an interesting test for Jordan. The Warriors casted a cloud of doom over the NBA, adding Kevin Durant to their roster after going 73-9 in the regular season the previous year. No team Jordan played throughout his career possessed the level of talent this Warriors team did.
As a basketball fan, one must wonder if the double three-peat Bulls would be able to stop this seemingly unbeatable juggernaut. What would they do defensively to mitigate the offensive firepower of Durant, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson? The potential matchups on the perimeter between these three, Jordan, Pippen and Dennis Rodman are tantalizing. An added bonus, Draymond Green and Rodman on the same court is bound to be a supremely entertaining spectacle.
3. Women’s basketball on the rise
March Madness 2024 saw women’s basketball experience a peak in popularity that was in previous eras unfathomable. The semifinal matchup between Iowa and UConn peaked at 17.3 million viewers, making it ESPN’s most viewed basketball game ever. The Final between South Carolina and Iowa was the first women’s NCAA finals game to outperform the men’s championship game in ratings, drawing an average of 18.9 million viewers.
This increase in popularity can be attributed to a plethora of stars and some overlapping rivalries. With an influx of talent such as Kamilla Cardoso, Angel Reese, Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers and Juju Watkins, the future of women’s basketball is possibly the brightest it’s ever been.
The rivalries between South Carolina, LSU and Iowa gave the past two seasons of women's NCAA basketball a narrative appeal that made the games themselves more intriguing than most.
4. Where does the Joker’s card fall?
The NBA has seen many great big men throughout history. Kevin McHale, Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson, and Shaquille O’Neal just to name a few. In recent years, Nikola Jokic has made his case to be added to this pantheon.
From being drafted during a taco bell commercial to being one of the greatest players in the modern era, Jokic has been undeniable. With a championship in 2023, and three MVP’s, the Serbian center nicknamed “The Joker” has been no laughing matter. But just where does he rank amongst the best big men in NBA history? More interestingly, where will he rank on this list when his career is over?
5. Who is the most influential player to the game of basketball?
Many players have shifted the way the game as a whole was played. For example, Magic Johnson, revolutionized the game in the 80’s with the “Showtime” Lakers, through their creative use of the fast break. Johnson would also facilitate the offense as a 6’9 point guard, which was uncommon at the time. Today, there are 7 footers like Kevin Durant and Victor Wembanyama displaying skills only guards would have possessed in previous eras.
Stephen Curry bolstered the three point revolution. Since winning back to back MVP’s (with one of them being unanimous), four championships and a finals MVP as a 6’3 scoring guard, Curry changed the perception of offense in basketball.
In today’s league if a point guard can’t be a primary scoring option they are almost a liability. Basketball was at first played from the basket to the three-point line, with centers being the primary scorers. In the modern era this is flipped on its head, with spacing the floor using the threat of three- point shooting being the more common style of offense.
Perhaps the answer to this question is someone else. Exploring this question however, is fascinating and not as talked about as the GOAT debate.
The GOAT debate has been contested for over a decade with several arguments for both LeBron and Jordan being understandable. However, outside of this debate, there are so many interesting conversations to be had about basketball even outside of these five. So discuss, debate, and shoot your shot at any of them.
Micheal Jacobs III is a staff writer for The Palmetto. He thinks Jordan versus LeBron is the most overrated debate ever. His main focuses are music, basketball, and combat sports. If you have a comment or tip for Micheal, feel free to contact him on social media or through email.
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