Michael Jordan Narrowly Tops LeBron James as NBA GOAT; Kobe Bryant 3rd in Player Poll

According to NBA players, the GOAT debate consists of only two players and everyone else is in a distant rearview mirror.

Michael Jordan edged out LeBron James as the greatest player in NBA history, according to a poll of 133 players conducted by The Athletic. Jordan received 45.9 percent of the vote, while James came in at 42.1 percent.

Kobe Bryant was a distant third place at 9.8 percent, while Stephen Curry, Magic Johnson and Paul Pierce each received 0.8 percent—the equivalent to one vote apiece.

The vast majority of observers—both players and fans—acknowledge Jordan and James as the two greatest players in NBA history.

Often, the debate between the two is split between generational lines. Younger fans who did not get to see Jordan play in his heyday lean toward James, while older fans who were around for Jordan's six-ring run in the 1990s often scoff at anyone testing His Airness.

While there was no age data given in The Athletic poll, the vast majority of NBA players are closer to the James range. Even players in their mid-to-late 30s were only children when they were watching Jordan, so it's telling that MJ still carries enough respect to eclipse James, who was a childhood hero to countless current players.

The player with perhaps the biggest gripe not being on this list is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, whose resume matches MJ's championship brilliance and James' longevity. The fact he did not get a vote while Paul Pierce did seems a bit at odds with basketball history.

That said, a GOAT means something different to different people.