Everyone seems to have their own opinion on where they think LeBron James ranks on the list of the greatest NBA players of all time. Many have him at No. 2 or No. 3, but some have him ranked considerably lower.
One who has James lower on his list of the all-time greats is former NBA superstar and current “Inside the NBA” personality Charles Barkley. While Barkley has praised James for his excellent sustained level of play many times, he has also criticized the four-time MVP.
He said if the Los Angeles Lakers lost in the first round of this year’s playoffs to the Minnesota Timberwolves that James shouldn’t be considered one of the top five players ever. Many who have already been critical of James have cited the Lakers’ five-game loss to Minnesota as proof, at least in their minds, that James isn’t quite all that.
Barkley clarified his comment in an interview with OutKick.
“I never said that,” TNT’s Charles Barkley claimed Tuesday. “First of all, I don’t know where that came from. I’ve always said LeBron, on my list, he’s number seven all-time. I got Wilt (Chamberlain), Kareem (Abdul-Jabbar), Bill Russell, Michael (Jordan) and Oscar (Robertson). I got Kobe (Bryant) six and LeBron seven.”
Although James is 40 years of age and has a player option for next season, his career likely isn’t over. With Luka Doncic now on his side, he could have a good chance at winning his fifth NBA championship next season. Doing so would likely move him up a notch in terms of his legacy and all-time ranking, even among those who are prone to criticizing him.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Where Charles Barkley ranks LeBron James on his all-time list
Reporting by Robert Marvi, LeBron Wire / LeBron Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
