Stephen A. Smith Accuses LeBron James of “Stat-Padding” to Beat Jordan in GOAT Debate

Stephen A. Smith has reignited the eternal LeBron vs. Jordan GOAT debate — and this time, he pulled no punches.

On his The Truth podcast, Stephen A blasted LeBron James’ longevity narrative, saying the Lakers star is “stat-padding” in year 23 to make casual fans believe he’s greater than Michael Jordan.

“He’s going to be 41, he’s in his 23rd year, stat-padding his way to make ignorant folks out there think that’s going to make him the GOAT over Jordan — not realizing that most of the stuff it took him 20+ years to do, Jordan did in 13.”

– Stephen A.

pic.twitter.com/itarmPPJgS^[1]

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) October 9, 2025^[2]

The comments quickly lit up social media, with fans on both sides weighing in. Some echoed Stephen A’s sentiment that Jordan packed unmatched dominance into fewer seasons, while others argued LeBron’s longevity is part of his greatness.

Jordan vs. LeBron: Accolades Breakdown

Michael Jordan — First 13 Seasons (1984–1998, excluding baseball break)

• 6× NBA Champion (6–0 in Finals)

• 6× Finals MVP

• 5× Regular Season MVP

• 9× All-Defensive First Team

• 10× NBA Scoring Champion

• 1× Defensive Player of the Year (1988)

• 10× All-NBA First Team

• Averaged 31.5 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 5.4 APG

Jordan’s résumé is built on peak dominance: flawless Finals record, scoring titles stacked alongside defensive excellence, and two separate three-peats.

LeBron James — 23 Seasons (and counting)

• 4× NBA Champion (4–6 in Finals)

• 4× Finals MVP

• 4× Regular Season MVP

• 13× All-NBA First Team

• 5× All-Defensive First Team

• 19× NBA All-Star (career, still adding)

• NBA’s all-time leading scorer

• Career averages: 27.2 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 7.3 APG

LeBron’s greatness lies in versatility, durability, and cumulative dominance across two decades. No player in league history has combined elite scoring, rebounding, and playmaking for as long as he has.

⚡ Why This Debate Isn’t Going Away

This isn’t Stephen A’s first clash with LeBron. Earlier this year, he and LeBron traded jabs over Bronny James’ NBA future — with LeBron calling out Stephen A’s criticism, and Stephen A firing back. (SportsRation covered that dust-up here^[3].)

Now, with LeBron deep into year 23 and still chasing more milestones, the GOAT conversation has only intensified.

But here’s the truth: Michael Jordan remains the GOAT.

Jordan didn’t need 20+ years to cement his legacy. He dominated both ends of the floor, won six championships in six Finals trips, and collected MVPs and defensive accolades in just 13 seasons. LeBron’s longevity is historic, but padding stats in year 23 doesn’t change the fact that Jordan’s peak, efficiency, and perfection on the biggest stage will never be matched.

For anyone still debating: the numbers, the rings, and the dominance speak loud and clear — Jordan is, and will remain, the greatest of all time.

Side-by-Side Comparison