Charles Barkley on the GOAT Debate: “That Stat Blew My Mind”

The ongoing debate over who is greater—LeBron James or Michael Jordan—resurfaced on Wednesday’s episode of The Steam Room podcast, hosted by Inside The NBA’s Ernie Johnson and Charles Barkley.

A caller asked Barkley why he believes it’s so obvious that Jordan had a better career than LeBron.

Barkley Dismisses the Debate

Barkley, never one to shy away from a basketball discussion, quickly dismissed the idea of comparing the two legends.

“I don’t get into the debate between Michael and LeBron because I think it’s weak journalism,” Barkley said. “They are both great, great, great. Michael Jordan’s the best basketball player I ever played against. These young kids, they played against LeBron.”

However, what really caught Barkley’s attention was a stat Johnson mentioned the previous week.

“I was kind of caught off guard last week when Ernie Johnson said LeBron was only like three behind Jordan in 30-point games and he’s played seven more years. That’s an astonishing stat,” Barkley noted.

The Surprising Stat That Stands Out

To Barkley’s point, the numbers are eye-opening. James, now in his 22nd season, has played 442 more games than Jordan, who retired after 15 seasons. Despite that longevity advantage, Jordan still holds a slight edge in regular-season games with 30 or more points—562 to LeBron’s 558, according to StatMuse. Even when factoring in playoff performances, James only surpassed Jordan in this category last March.

“As great as LeBron is, he’s still behind Michael in 30-point games, and he’s played seven more seasons,” Barkley emphasized.

No Disrespect to LeBron, But the Numbers Speak for Themselves

Barkley made it clear that his stance doesn’t come from any disrespect toward LeBron, whom he deeply admires.

“Even if you take LeBron as the GOAT, you wouldn’t have known that,” Barkley said. “And I’m never gonna say anything bad about LeBron because he’s an amazing man and a hell of a player.”

While the LeBron vs. Jordan debate will likely never be settled, Barkley’s argument highlights a key point: longevity doesn’t always equal dominance. And when it comes to scoring milestones, Jordan’s legacy remains as strong as ever.