“It’s the only argument I need, Sean!”

The sporting world loves a GOAT debate, it’s the most subjective question looking for an objective answer. But Gettis has a point, you can’t argue a case very well if there aren’t titles to back it up. Dan Marino, Barry Sanders and Karl Malone have all heard this one too many times: if you don’t win the big one, you can forget about being mentioned in GOAT conversations.

While James does have championships (three and counting), trying to wedge him into the discussion doesn’t add up for a lot of people. Jordan has six titles, all of them backed by MVP Finals trophies. Sure, you could argue James is playing in a different era of basketball, where the NBA has a lot more parity. But then you find yourself squarely up against a guy known most recently as “that little Laker boy”.

Kobe Bryant’s appearance in episode five of ESPN’s The Last Dance had to feel overwhelming and incredibly bittersweet for basketball fans across the planet. In January, Bryant tragically died in a helicopter crash along with his daughter, and his interview for the docuseries is quite likely one of the last recorded.

Bryant’s legacy is similar to Jordan’s, much more than James’. The Los Angeles star was not known for being the friendliest of guys, and his determination to win had a maniacal sense to it. Much like MJ, Bryant didn’t care who he pissed off, or who liked him. Trophies were all that mattered, one in particular, the Larry O’Brien Championship, and Bryant collected five of them.

One could argue what Bryant accomplished is almost as amazing as what Jordan did. He notched five rings with much less of a supporting cast than the Chicago Bulls had. Bryant did have Shaquille O’Neil for the first three championships, but the two he won in 2009 and 2010 he mostly did on his own.

There is no denying James is one of the greatest basketball players of all-time, skill-wise. He is a hybrid-style guard who can pass, dunk, drive, shoot threes, play defence and rebound with the best of them. Sean’s point is valid, but the conversation we are having is not about skill, it is about winning.

Jordan’s game had lots of holes in it: he wasn’t the best from beyond the arch, his defence was suspect at times, and lets call a spade a spade, he was a ball hog for the first half of his career before Zen master Phil Jackson showed him the ways of the triangle offence.

Bryant’s game was more rounded, but once again he does not possess the myriad talents that James has in his repertoire. But Bryant, much like Jordan, had that “je ne sais quoi”, that innate ability to show up at the most important of moments.

In basketball it boils down to one thing, hitting that crucial shot as the clock winds down. Jordan had it, Bryant had it, but James has only shown flashes of it.

Jordan and Bryant inspired their teammates largely through fear. Get on board, or get the heck out of my way. Their desire to win at all costs was as unrivalled as it was parallel. James is a great player, but if you had a team of all three of them at your bench drawing up the final play of a game when you were down by one, I’m sorry but give the ball to MJ or Kobe before LeBron any day.

The “little Laker boy” may forever be etched into second place behind Jordan when it comes to the GOAT debate, but one thing is for sure, Gettis still has a point after all these years when anyone thinks about throwing King James into the discussion.

Call us when LeBron has six championships.