Michael Jordan refuses to put himself above two iconic NBA names in the GOAT debate

Michael Jordan would not debate whether two iconic NBA stars were ahead of him in the basketball greatest of all time (GOAT) debate.

Jordan, 61, is many people’s GOAT, having won six NBA championships in a career spanning 15 seasons – with three consecutive triumphs during his time at the Chicago Bulls between 1996 and 1998.

And despite being crowned MVP in the NBA finals an impressive five times, he refused to become embroiled in a debate about who the sport’s best-ever player is.

Off the field, he crossed over into popular culture, regularly appearing on TV shows, being involved with business ventures and working with brands such as developing a partnership with sneakers brand Nike before releasing the ‘Air Jordan’ shoe in 1984.

He even appeared in the 1996 film ‘Space Jam’ before LeBron James was included in a lead role in the 2021 version of the movie, ‘Space Jam: A New Legacy’.

James, 40, is another star who fans consider to be in the conversation of the GOAT, with the likes of Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal also highly thought of.

However, it was two other basketball legends who Jordan refused to put himself above in the GOAT chat.

And those two were Larry Bird and Earvin “Magic” Johnson, who were both former opponents of Jordan.

Bird, 68, won three NBA titles during his time at the Boston Celtics, while Johnson, 65, secured five crowns during an impressive career with the LA Lakers.

Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird were part of Team USA's gold medal-winning side at the 1992 Olympics (Credit:Getty)

"I don’t put myself above them,” said Jordan when speaking to SLAM in 2013.

"I think that we’re all on parallel ground here.

"You know, they educated me about a lot of things about the game, from a team standpoint. So, I can’t put myself above…I mean, people try to, but we played in different eras.

"I had an opportunity to go against them, in the peak of their careers, while I was still young. And I went against them, when I was at the peak of mine, when they was on the other end.

"So it was a passing of trends there, and we never had the opportunity to play against each other in peak years. You know, so it’s hard to say that I’m above them, by no means. I like to consider myself parallel to them."