There are hundreds of terms in every single sport in the world that can surely confuse many people. The thing is, those terms get so popular all over the world that it urges other people to know what it means and why it is so popular in the world.
Not only on the internet, but people use those types of terms in actual conversations too. So wouldn’t it be awkward if your friend is having a conversation with you about basketball and suddenly uses the term “G.O.AT,” and you don’t know its meaning? You will be wondering what is the meaning of G.O.A.T in the NBA.
That is why it is essential to know what it says or specifies.
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What is the meaning of G.O.A.T in Basketball?
The G.O.A.T stands for “Greatest of All Time” in basketball, and it is specifically used to describe the greatness of a specific player by calling it the greatest ever.
The thing is, the term G.O.A.T is not only used in basketball, but it is also widely used in every other sport as well. You can take the example of Football, Cricket, Tennis, and other sports where there are some specific players with more extraordinary abilities than most other players.
In football, the biggest rivalry is between Messi and Ronaldo; in the current cricketing world, Virat Kohli is the unbeatable beast, and in basketball, well, let’s have a look below, right?
Who is the G.O.A.T in Basketball?
If you are in a mood for arguments and cursing, you can start the debate over the G.O.A.T in basketball, and millions of fans will try to defend their favorite player by calling them the actual G.O.A.T. But the question is, is there a G.O.A.T in basketball with proven stats? The answer is yes!
The basketball world considers Michael Jordan as the Greatest Player of All Time, and his stats are unquestionably enough to defend this statement. The only basketball player that has given a tough competition to Michael Jordan for the G.O.A.T title is Lebron James. The best thing is, many still consider Lebron James as their greatest basketball player rather than Michael Jordan.
If you would search on the internet, who is the G.O.A.T of basketball, you will get millions of articles and videos defending Michael Jordan or Lebron James as per their perspective. But as we have to consider the stats, Jordan is undoubtedly the greatest ever, and we do not also know if there will ever be a player who will be as successful as Jordan. So let’s wait and watch!
What are Michael Jordan’s Achievements to be called the G.O.A.T?
You might now be thinking that what would has Michael Jordan done to be called the greatest ever. So let me tell you, Michael Jordan has made records that are undoubtedly really hard to break.
The most outstanding achievement of Michael Jordan is that he has won 10 record-breaking titles that any other player has not won. Out of those ten titles, 6 of them are the N.B.A.s which can indeed be called the toughest league in the basketball world. The story does not end here; Michael Jordan has also won the M.V.P. title in all six finals of N.B.A.s that he has won. Can you imagine a player like that?
If we talk about the average points scored per game by Michael Jordan, they are about 30.1. Whereas Lebron James stands at 27 points scored every game. This also gives the lead to Michael Jordan in the race of the G.O.A.T title.
Can Lebron James snatch the title of G.O.A.T in the coming years (Or he already is)?
Lebron James just won his 4th N.B.A. title by winning the league in 2020. The individual is not planning to stop anywhere soon, and that is why he can be more dangerous than Michael Jordan and can snatch the title of G.O.A.T from him.
But still, Lebron James has 4 N.B.A. titles, whereas Michael made history by winning 6. So you can expect to wait another 3-4 years to see Lebron breaking this record and taking the place of number one. But the legacy of Michael does not really end here. Lebron will also have to improve his per game score from 27 to more than 30 in order to be better than the might Jordan.
It can be really tough to break this record because the number of games played by Lebron is now greater, and it can be really hard to increase that average significantly. But there is still a chance that Lebron can be considered as the G.O.A.T in the coming years if he performs well (like he always does) and wins his team the crucial matches. Many sites and firms consider Lebron the G.O.A.T even now because of his recent achievements, which are unquestionably great and enough to be stated as the G.O.A.T of the current generation.
Is G.O.A.T an official title?
No! G.O.A.T is undoubtedly not an official title given by the actual organizations. Most of the fans or the respective clubs of different players call their best players as the G.O.A.Ts to show what they can do. As the title says itself, “Of All Time,” it is impossible to conclude the titles when much greatness can be seen in the future. But you can surely call your favorite player G.O.A.T, but by keeping the stats in mind.
The heated arguments between different players to be stated as G.O.A.T will surely never end. As time passes, a new player will come up performing better than the ones before. This will surely result in another creation of G.O.A.T, and the cycle will repeat every era.
The Verdict
Now you might have understood what G.O.A.T actually means in basketball. So try to be reasonable when you call anyone G.O.A.T on the internet because you will literally have to face millions of fans of other players who would do anything to defend them.
I have been playing basketball for more than a decade now, and my passion and enthusiasm for it drove me to write about it. I am Ahmed, a professional basketball player and a fan who has now become a writer to help fellow basketball players and enthusiasts to opt for the best possible basketball accessories and essentials. Stay tuned to feast yourself with the content you might not have seen anywhere else.