FROM one generation to the next, basketball’s ‘greatest of all time’ debate goes on and on.
Safe to say, there won’t ever be a crystal clear answer with more than a few cases to be stated for the likes of Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Michael Jordan, among others.
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For new-generation stars like Austin Reaves, who has had the privilege of playing with James and for Bryant’s heralded Los Angeles Lakers, the GOAT debate could be a rather tricky one to navigate.
In Reaves’ latest visit to the Philippines to meet his diehard Filipino fans a year after repping Team USA at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023, he settled the score in a way Laker Nation would be thrilled to hear.
“My favorite player ever is Kobe Bryant, but the greatest player ever is LeBron James,” Reaves said.
Three years into his NBA career for the purple-and-gold, being under James' wing has been nothing short of an honor and an experience of a lifetime.
“He is someone that I looked up to (…) and for him to treat me the way that he treats me since day one has been very special for me. It's been nothing but love," he said.
“I’ve been able to pick his brain on the stuff that he does to be prepared (and how he) takes care of his body.”
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Bar the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament title in 2023, the Lakers sit second and one win shy behind longtime rival Boston Celtics for the most number of league championships (17).
Reaves & Co. had to take the long way round for the second straight year to land a playoff spot through the play-in.
But as was the case in 2023, the Lakers were booted out of title contention by the Denver Nuggets - much earlier this year when they were axed in a five-game first-round series.
With a new shot-caller at the helm in J.J. Redick taking over from Darvin Ham, Reaves shared how they’ve been putting in the work early ahead of a new era down in the City of Stars.
“Everybody’s in the gym, super dedicated to getting better. The main goal is to go win a championship, that’s all that we care about. Individual accolades come behind team success," he said.
“So if we go make a run in the playoffs and go win an NBA championship, everybody will be happy.”
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