"Never heard Michael Jordan say he's the greatest" - Isiah Thomas snapped at LeBron James for calling himself the GOAT
When LeBron James called himself the greatest player of all time during a 2018 episode of "The Shop," it was bound to ruffle feathers.
He made the comment while reflecting on leading the Cleveland Cavaliers back from a 3-1 deficit in the Finals against the 73-win Golden State Warriors.
Some fans applauded the confidence. Some old-school legends saw it differently.
Calling a timeout on LeBron
Isiah Thomas was one of them. The Hall of Fame point guard, two-time NBA champion and leader of the "Bad Boy" Detroit Pistons has never been shy about speaking his mind. While Thomas has been supportive of James' case as arguably the greatest to ever play, he wasn't thrilled with the future Hall of Famer crowning himself the GOAT.
"Everybody knows I love LeBron," Thomas began, "but I'm gonna call timeout on this one. I'll speak to LeBron, I'll say it to his face. You never — that's a certain thing about the greatness that demands you have humility with greatness. Even though we argue about Michael Jordan being the greatest of all time, or Kareem Abdul Jabbar being the greatest of all time, [or] LeBron James being the greatest of all time, we have those arguments and debate."
"I have never heard Michael Jordan say he's the greatest of all time," he added.
Thomas' words hit harder because of his history. He faced Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls in the late 1980s and early 1990s, trading blows with him in the playoffs four straight years.
He played against Magic Johnson and Larry Bird when all three were in their primes. He saw firsthand what greatness looked like up close. To him, the highest level of respect came from letting others hand you that title rather than claiming it yourself.Taking it personally
Thomas didn't just question the humility in James' comment. He took it as a personal challenge on behalf of players everywhere.
"All I know if I was in the league right now and you talking about you the greatest of all time, dude, I'm getting ready to do you. I'm coming at you. ... To say that is just totally disrespectful to me as one of your competitors," he said.
It's a mentality rooted in his playing days. Thomas led the Pistons to back-to-back championships in 1989 and 1990. Detroit knocked off Bird's Boston Celtics, Magic's Los Angeles Lakers and Jordan's Bulls along the way. His game was built on competitive fire.
If someone gave him bulletin board material, he used it. That mindset hasn't faded with time.
James' 2016 championship was one of the most remarkable turnarounds in Finals history. He averaged 29.7 points, 11.3 rebounds and 8.9 assists in the series. His chase-down block in Game 7 has been replayed countless times. For LeBron, the victory cemented his legacy.
Jordan's career included six championships, six Finals MVPs, five league MVPs and 10 scoring titles. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar retired with six championships, six MVPs and the all-time scoring record at the time.
Neither publicly claimed the title of greatest ever. Thomas believes that the absence of self-proclamation is what made their greatness resonate even more.
The GOAT debate will never end, and maybe that's the point. Every generation has its own standard-bearer, and the arguments are part of what keeps the NBA's history alive.This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Aug 12, 2025, where it first appeared.
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