Lebron James was recently asked who would be on his NBA Mount Rushmore. The Miami Heat star named Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Oscar Robertson and Magic Johnson, but he also said that when his career is over he plans to be on that list also.
When told about Lebron’s mount and future plans for his own place among the greats, Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar took exception.
“LeBron James was talking about how he’s the best ever. He never saw Wilt Chamberlain play. If he had, he wouldn’t say that. Whenever he averages 55 points a game, then I might want to listen to what he has to say. I’m not trying to put LeBron down. He’s awesome. He’s the best player in this era at this point. But he didn’t see Bill Russell play. When his team wins eight consecutive NBA championships, maybe I’ll compare him to Bill Russell. Until then, he has to prove a few things. I don’t want to put LeBron down. He’s awesome and great for the game and a class guy. But there’s a lot more to that.”
I’m not sure why Kareem seems so salty. Shouldn’t Lebron have aspirations of being mentioned among the greatest? That’s not a slap in the face, it’s a compliment. Maybe Abdul-Jabbar was mad because he wasn’t on the list.