Allen Iverson Discusses LeBron James vs. Michael Jordan GOAT Debate

Allen Iverson had a hard time choosing between LeBron James and Michael Jordan in the debate over the Greatest of All Time.

The Hall of Famer praised both players with Marc J. Spears of Andscape:

"LeBron, I think, to me is the best overall basketball player that we'll ever see. If you look in the dictionary and look up basketball player, there'll be a picture of LeBron. But for me it's so different because Mike was everything to me. He gave me the vision. He made me want to play basketball. He's my everything. I wanted to actually be like him, like the commercial, 'Be like Mike,' I really wanted to be him. I'm still starstruck every time I see him. I'm still nervous every time. Because he's Mike to me. He's my guy. So there'll never be no one at the top of my list besides Mike. But LeBron is just everything that you want in a basketball player. He's a total package. He's God's gift to the basketball world."

Iverson added that "both of them did so much for our game."

The 47-year-old competed against both players during his career, entering the league in 1996 while Jordan was in the midst of his second three-peat with the Chicago Bulls. After the superstar retired in 1998, Iverson took over the mantle as the league's top offensive player with scoring titles in four of the next seven years.

Jordan, who has 10 scoring titles and is the league's all-time leader in points per game, is widely considered the best scorer in NBA history. His six NBA titles and five MVPs help him become the GOAT in the eyes of many basketball fans.

James still has a quality argument thanks to his all-around play. Not only did he pass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the all-time leading scorer in NBA history, he also ranks fourth all-time in total assists. His career averages of 27.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game show his overall impact on the floor, helping him win four NBA titles with three different teams and four league MVPs.

He's clearly the "total package" on the court, as Iverson said, and the "best overall basketball player that we'll ever see."

Different fans will have different definitions of greatness, and many will refuse to change their minds about their favorite player, no matter what. LeBron has still done enough to prove himself in the never-ending debates.