In a recent appearance on Mark Jackson’s Come And Talk 2 Me podcast, former NBA star Stephon Marbury weighed in on the ongoing debate about the greatest basketball player of all time. While many argue between LeBron James and Michael Jordan, Marbury took a different stance, passionately emphasizing that Kobe Bryant should not be overlooked in the conversation.

Marbury made it clear that he believes Jordan is the true GOAT. However, he continued to express his confusion as to why LeBron is often placed ahead of both Jordan and Bryant. He stated, “When I look at Kobe, I ask myself, ‘How is LeBron better than Jordan if he’s not better than Kobe?'” Marbury emphasized that his opinion is based on evaluating players based on their basketball IQ and their playing style rather than personal preferences or prejudices.

Marbury pointed out the differences in playing style between James and Bryant, emphasizing that LeBron relies heavily on his physical strength, while Kobe’s offensive game is characterized by finesse and sophistication. He argued that while LeBron had a longer career, his mastery of the game could not match Bryant’s level of sophistication. Marbury discussed the different approaches to scoring and game play and explained why he believes Kobe deserves more credit.

To support his claims, Marbury cited field goal percentages. Although it appears that LeBron has the advantage with a higher career field goal rate of 50.6% compared to Bryant’s 44.7%, Marbury explained that this discrepancy is due to the difference in shot selection and overall difficulty level be. Bryant was known for attempting challenging shots that many would consider low percentage, resulting in both impressive shots and misses. Despite similar shot attempts per game (Bryant averaged 19.5 attempts, James averaged 19.6), LeBron still has a significantly higher field goal percentage, indicating that he consistently makes the most effective decisions for his team has met.

Marbury praised Bryant’s ability to replicate Jordan’s offensive game, calling him a “copy” with originality in his own style. While he ranked Jordan as his first choice, Marbury placed Kobe at number two due to his remarkable ability to mimic Jordan’s movements and demeanors on the court.

As the debate rages on, Stephon Marbury’s fearless assertion has added another layer of complexity to the GOAT discussion between Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. Although some may disagree with Marbury’s opinion, there is no denying that his passionate argument produces an alternative perspective that deserves consideration.