Charles Barkley, a Hall of Fame player and former 76er, believes LeBron James has an opportunity to overtake Michael Jordan as the greatest basketball player of all time, provided he wins consecutive championships with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Barkley, who has historically considered Jordan the GOAT, shared his revised perspective with Stephen A. Smith. He stipulated that if James, 44 or 45, secures two championships during his tenure with the 76ers, it would prompt him to reconsider his long-held stance.
"If he wins back-to-back championships and walks away this thing at 44, 45. I’ll say something I ain’t never said before. This dude, I think I just saw the greatest basketball player ever," Barkley told Smith. This statement followed James' official announcement Friday of a two-year, $8 million contract with the 76ers, marking what he called the final decision of his career.
Instead of retiring after 23 seasons, the four-time MVP opted for another championship pursuit with a franchise that has not won a title since 1983. James has previously won four championships with three different teams: the Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Los Angeles Lakers.
Barkley also acknowledged that James has a history of forming superteams, a point of criticism for some.
"The number one knock on LeBron for older guys like myself has always been, ‘Yo, man, you always stacking your team,’" Barkley said. "He stacked in Miami. He stacked in Cleveland. He stacked in LA. Now he’s stacking it in Philly. So that to me, I’m going to still have the same criticism I’ve always had."
The 76ers have significantly bolstered their roster in a busy offseason. The team acquired four-time All-Star Jaylen Brown from the Boston Celtics, creating a formidable lineup alongside former MVP Joel Embiid and All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey. The addition of guard V.J. Edgecombe further strengthens Philadelphia's roster as they aim for a championship.