"10 years from now, people are going to be saying LeBron is fifth or sixth in the GOAT debate" - Jason Whitlock believes LeBron James' legacy will suffer after retirement

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"10 years from now, people are going to be saying LeBron is fifth or sixth in the GOAT debate" - Jason Whitlock believes LeBron James' legacy will suffer after retirement originally appeared on Basketball Network.
LeBron James' retirement is coming sooner rather than later, and Jason Whitlock thinks life after basketball will not serve him well. He referenced John Stockton's remark on The King's tendency to seek out greener pastures. Whitlock believes that opinions of that nature will only intensify and negatively affect how fans remember James.
"That to me, when Hall of Famers that are generally speaking, pretty quiet, wanna be ignored, just sitting out in Utah, when they're taking shots at you at the end of your career, this is an indication of, LeBron's legacy, I think is going to diminish in retirement, not elevate," Whitlock said on "Fearless" with Jason Whitlock.
"I don't think retirement will treat LeBron James very well as it relates to his legacy and reputation in the NBA. This GOAT debate, I think 10 years from now, people are going to be saying LeBron is fifth or sixth," added the former sports columnist.
LeBron is not Michael Jordan
Stockton's comments were several years old and have since resurfaced on social media. The NBA all-time leader in assists and steals took a shot at James' penchant for moving around teams to be in a better situation, saying he "took a helicopter to the top" instead of doing it the old-fashioned way.
In doing so, the Utah Jazz legend admittedly propped up Michael Jordan. Like MJ, Stockton believed in 'tightening belts' instead of looking for greener grass, which meant that losing teams must find ways to get better to beat the ones on top rather than team up with other stars.
In a similar vein, Whitlock's retirement forecast on James highlights a sharp contrast to MJ's retirement arc. "His Airness" essentially even became more valuable years and decades after hanging his sneakers for good in 2003. As proof, the Jordan Brand is now worth more than $6 billion, according to experts.
"Michael Jordan's reputation and legend elevated in retirement. It was already high when he was done. People considered him the GOAT and that case has only gotten stronger," opined Whitlock.
James is the all-time leader in points and one of only four players to win three titles with three different franchises. From the surface, his legacy seems intact going forward.
However, Whitlock argued that those accolades may not shield him from tough comparisons to Jordan. While MJ spent nearly all of his prime in Chicago, LeBron's frequent moves in pursuit of titles have given critics an opening to question his legacy once he steps away.
Perception changes over time, sometimes for the worst
Whitlock's take may be speculative, but the past suggests it's plausible. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, and Bill Russell all saw their standing in all-time rankings decline as new stars emerged and the conversation evolved. Even Kobe Bryant, once a lock for many top-five lists, now sits 11th in Bleacher Report's latest rankings.
Taking that into consideration, LeBron's virtually unmatched resume doesn't guarantee immunity from the shifting standards that come with time. For all his accolades, his place in basketball history may still be subject to the tastes and biases of future fans.
MJ stands apart as his status remains untouched despite decades of debate. LeBron's records are historic, but whether his legacy ages like Mike's will depend on how the next generation of fans and analysts choose to frame it.This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Aug 12, 2025, where it first appeared.