Former Los Angeles Clippers play-by-play announcer Ralph Lawler recently made some waves when he claimed LeBron James is the GOAT, and that it’s not even close. He received some pushback from fans over it, with Michael Jordan’s name being brought up, but Lawler isn’t backing down.

“I am not crazy. LeBron is the best there has ever been. He does more to help his teams win than anyone who has ever played the game. And, it is Not even Close. Add the length of his career without a fall-off in his talent level and it is not even worth discussing.”

We really can’t take for granted just how special it is what James is doing in his 21st season in the NBA. It was after one such incredible performance against the New Orleans Pelicans, that Lawler made his initial viral post.

“I made it clear in my book BINGO! 40 YEARS IN THE NBA and I will now repeat: ‘LeBron James is the Greatest player in NBA History.’ Did you see him single-handedly demolish New Orleans last night? I don’t even think the race for GOAT is close. And I have seen them All.”

LeBron had 30 points, 5 rebounds, and 8 assists that night in the In-Season Tournament semifinals against the Pelicans, as the Los Angeles Lakers won 133-89. The Lakers would eventually win the NBA Cup, with LeBron being named MVP.

It obviously wasn’t the same as winning a championship, but it was another feather in his cap, and there sure are a lot of them on there. James has won four championships, four Finals MVPs, and four MVPs. He is a 19-time All-Star and, of course, became the NBA’s all-time leading scorer earlier this year.

Having called Clippers games for over 40 years, the last thing Lawler can be accused of is being biased in some way, as he is calling a Laker the GOAT. He just firmly believes everything that James has done in his career and the fact that he continues to dominate at this late stage makes him the undisputed greatest of all time.

To say it’s not even close might be a bit much, though, but Lawler is obviously entitled to his opinion. We, for instance, did a career comparison of Jordan and LeBron, which saw the former coming out on top.

A Current Clipper Called LeBron James The GOAT

While Lawler is a former Clipper making this claim, a current one did so recently as well. Terrance Mann called LeBron the GOAT as he too marveled at what the Lakers star is doing at this stage of his career.

“Number 1 of all time is LeBron James. Why? I don’t wanna get into it because that’s just controversial. But at his age, at his years in the league right now, I think he’s making an obvious case of being the GOAT. Let alone all the Finals he went to, let alone the Conference finals he’s gone to, all the different teammates he’s had and done it, going from team to team and doing the same thing with the same numbers, it’s almost obvious at this point.”

LeBron is averaging 25.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, 6.7 assists, 1.5 steals, and 0.7 blocks per game in this 2023-24 campaign and no one else in their 21st season put up remotely similar numbers. He is going to set statistical marks that no one else is ever going to be able to get to, and if James can just add another championship or two to his resume, it’d be hard for anyone to say he’s not the greatest.