Michael Jordan was universally regarded as the greatest player in basketball history, and following his retirement, Kobe Bryant stepped into the spotlight, establishing himself as a dominant force. However, how did LeBron James manage to not only compare to Kobe but also enter the G.O.A.T. debate alongside MJ? Shaquille O’Neal recently shed light on this with a compelling theory.

In a post on his official Instagram, Shaq shared insights from a female commentator who delved into this theory. According to her, LeBron’s elevation to MJ’s status is largely attributed to a marketing strategy rather than pure athletic achievement.

“LeBron’s real challenge was to compete against Kobe Bryant. The focus should have been on surpassing Kobe, but that didn’t happen. So, they created a marketing campaign that shifted the narrative, fast-tracking the debate between LeBron and Michael Jordan,” she explained.

This marketing campaign seemingly undermined some of the traditional accolades that were once crucial in the G.O.A.T. discussion. However, it not only overshadowed those accomplishments but also enabled LeBron to leapfrog Kobe in the conversation. The commentator continued, “I don’t need to win MVPs; I just need to put up stats. I don’t have to rack up rings or team achievements, even though basketball is a team sport.”

A significant factor in this debate has been LeBron wearing Jordan’s iconic number 23, which inevitably stirred up comparisons between the two legends from an early stage.

Given that Shaq and Kobe were teammates during their time with the Lakers, it’s understandable that O’Neal might favor Bryant in the G.O.A.T. discussion.

In fact, Shaq went so far as to exclude LeBron from his all-time starting five. When asked to name his top five players in an interview with the German sports outlet Sports Bild, O’Neal didn’t hesitate: “Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Dr. J (Julius Erving), Karl Malone, and me.”

O’Neal’s omission of LeBron from his list is particularly striking, considering they played together in the later stages of LeBron’s career and the impressive resume he has built. Thus, O’Neal’s endorsement of the theory suggesting LeBron has surpassed Kobe in the G.O.A.T. debate becomes more understandable.