"I have a real problem with that" - Clyde Drexler thinks putting only Michael Jordan and LeBron James in GOAT debate is an insult to the game's history
Over the years, the conversation around the greatest basketball player of all time has tightened its focus into a narrow spotlight.
Advertisement
In most debates, the names Michael Jordan and LeBron James dominate the podium as if the hardwood history of the NBA began and ended with them. However, for Hall of Famer Clyde Drexler, that's not just incomplete but borderline disrespectful.
The 10-time NBA All-Star, Olympic gold medalist and 1995 NBA champion recently pushed back against what he sees as a diluted version of basketball memory.
Problem with the GOAT debate
To Drexler, there's a whole generation of icons who not only carried the league before Jordan took flight or James redefined longevity, but also set the standard for what excellence in basketball looks like.
Advertisement
"I have a real problem with that," Drexler said on narrowing the GOAT debate. "For all these guys who played the game, for you to have a conversation, are these two guys the GOAT when you got Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, two of the greatest players that ever lived, you start with those two."
Drexler's tone isn't bitter but protective of legacy, memory, and what it took for the league to evolve into today's global phenomenon. His point isn't that Jordan and LeBron don't belong in the conversation; it's that reducing the entire discussion to just them misrepresents what greatness has looked like across decades.
Wilt Chamberlain once scored 100 points in a single game and still holds records that seem cartoonish by modern standards, averaging 50.4 points and 25.7 rebounds during the 1961-62 season.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's resume is stacked with six MVP awards, six championships, a scoring title that stood for nearly 40 years and the skyhook, which is arguably the most unguardable shot the sport has ever seen.
Advertisement
Between the two of them, they set statistical bars so high they can only be whispered about today. Chamberlain and Abdul-Jabbar played in eras with different styles, but both dominated with such consistency that entire rule changes were enacted to slow them down. Yet somehow, in today's debates, their names often fall to the second row.
Related: "That kind of talent simply doesn't happen" - Del Harris said 17-year-old Kobe was 'slightly better' than 24-year-old Eddie Jones
Recognizing legends
Drexler sees the narrow debate as an injustice not just to the legends, but to the game itself. As a key member of the legendary 1992 Dream Team and a contemporary of both Magic Johnson and Michael, Clyde's perspective is earned from the thick of competition, not distant admiration.
Advertisement
Beyond Abdul-Jabbar and Chamberlain, Drexler opened the floor to a roll call of giants whose resumes still echo through NBA lore.
"And then you've got guys like Dr. J [Julius Erving], Larry Bird, George Gervin, Elgin Baylor, Oscar Robertson, Jerry West… all those guys are in the conversation," Drexler said. "For people bringing this up today, to me, it's unbelievable. And I love Michael and LeBron, but let's not take something away from those other guys who played."
Each name brings a different chapter of greatness.
Julius Erving was the prototype of modern athletic flair, bridging streetball magic and NBA finesse.
Advertisement
Larry Bird was the deadeye marksman with the coldest trash talk and three MVP awards in a row to back it up. George Gervin floated across the court with the smoothest finger roll ever seen.
Oscar Robertson averaged a triple-double before it was ever trendy, doing it across a full season in 1961–62, a feat not repeated until Russell Westbrook decades later.
Elgin Baylor dropped 61 points in an NBA Finals game while juggling military duties.
And Jerry West remains a symbol of NBA excellence, both in name and silhouette, bringing 10 Finals appearances and a career scoring average north of 27.
These players didn't just play; they shifted paradigms. They forced defenses to adjust, made the league more marketable and laid the groundwork that allowed superstars like Jordan and James to thrive. Omitting them erases legacies.
Advertisement
Related: "Show some love and some respect for the people you played with and against" - Clyde Drexler says 'The Last Dance' was a true reflection of Michael Jordan's negative character
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 12, 2025, where it first appeared.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
San Francisco Chronicle
36 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Medals for Milan-Cortina Olympics represent 'two halves coming together'
VENICE (AP) — The Milan-Cortina Olympics are the first games with two host cities in the name. So the medals for the upcoming Winter Games represent 'two halves coming together.' Organizers for the next Olympics and Paralympics unveiled the medals for the games at a ceremony alongside the Grand Canal in Venice on Tuesday. They are described as 'a graphic abstraction capturing the union of two halves in perpetual motion' and 'two unique halves coming together to create a bold, unified statement.' They feature the Olympic rings on one side and the games' logos on the other with specific events engraved on each medal. The Olympics are scheduled for Feb. 6-22, followed by the Paralympics March 6-15. A total of 1,146 medals will be awarded across 195 events between the two. The games will be spread across a wide swath of northern Italy, with ice sports in Milan and snow sports in several different mountain clusters. Venice is the capital of the Veneto region that includes Cortina d'Ampezzo, which will host women's Alpine skiing, sliding and curling. The medals are being produced by Italy's state mint, the Zecca dello Stato. 'I can assure you they won't deteriorate,' Milan-Cortina organizing committee president Giovanni Malagò said. 'They could even be recycled, although I hope nobody will do that.' ___
Yahoo
42 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Medals for Milan-Cortina Olympics represent 'two halves coming together'
VENICE (AP) — The Milan-Cortina Olympics are the first games with two host cities in the name. So the medals for the upcoming Winter Games represent 'two halves coming together.' Organizers for the next Olympics and Paralympics unveiled the medals for the games at a ceremony alongside the Grand Canal in Venice on Tuesday. Advertisement They are described as 'a graphic abstraction capturing the union of two halves in perpetual motion' and 'two unique halves coming together to create a bold, unified statement.' They feature the Olympic rings on one side and the games' logos on the other with specific events engraved on each medal. The Olympics are scheduled for Feb. 6-22, followed by the Paralympics March 6-15. A total of 1,146 medals will be awarded across 195 events between the two. The games will be spread across a wide swath of northern Italy, with ice sports in Milan and snow sports in several different mountain clusters. Venice is the capital of the Veneto region that includes Cortina d'Ampezzo, which will host women's Alpine skiing, sliding and curling. Advertisement The medals are being produced by Italy's state mint, the Zecca dello Stato. 'I can assure you they won't deteriorate,' Milan-Cortina organizing committee president Giovanni Malagò said. 'They could even be recycled, although I hope nobody will do that.' Some of the medals from last year's Paris Olympics quickly lost their shine. ___ AP sports: The Associated Press
Newsweek
42 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Yankees Star Projected To Sign 5-Year, $140 Million Contract Extension
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. The New York Yankees made a lot of great moves in the offseason, but the trade for outfielder Cody Bellinger might age the best. Bellinger has been a key contributor for the Yankees this season, and fans of the team likely want to see him in pinstripes for a long time. Bellinger has a $25 million player option for next season in his contract. If the slugger continues to dominate in the second half, there's a good chance he opts out of this option. Thomas Carannante of Yanks Go Yard recently projected the Yankees would sign Bellinger to a contract extension for five years and $140 million if he opts out of his current deal at the end of the season. NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 11: Cody Bellinger #35 of the New York Yankees connects for his third inning two run home run against the Chicago Cubs at Yankee Stadium on July 11, 2025... NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 11: Cody Bellinger #35 of the New York Yankees connects for his third inning two run home run against the Chicago Cubs at Yankee Stadium on July 11, 2025 in New York City. More"Bellinger is already earning $27.5 million on his current contract (his player option for 2026 is worth $25 million). He'll be entering his age-30 season next year, and we're not exactly sure if he warrants a raise much higher than his current AAV," Carannante wrote. "He's probably right where he should be, given he's no longer a perennial MVP-type talent with probably a handful of true prime years remaining. "But would anybody take issue with a five-year, $140 million extension? That's a $28 million AAV that keeps him in tow before the group of Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón, and Max Fried starts to get broken up. And that salary would change almost nothing with their payroll, given this is the status quo at the moment." Locking Bellinger up to a five-year deal would be a bit risky considering how poorly some of the contracts are aging on the Yankees' payroll, but it's a move the team almost certainly needs to make. Bellinger has been excellent with the team and could project as a solid outfielder or first baseman for the next few seasons. With Aaron Judge still dominating like he is, the Yankees can't let off the gas for a second. Re-signing Bellinger would prove their commitment to winning. More MLB: Tigers Pursuing Trade For Pair Of Star Pitchers From AL Club, Per Report
