LeBron James is pushing back on the idea that championship rings are the only measure of greatness in basketball.
On a new episode of Mind the Game, his podcast with NBA Hall of Famer Steve Nash, James opened up about what he sees as an unhealthy focus in the league: judging players solely based on how many championships they've won. Despite having four titles himself, the Lakers star says the narrative is overblown and dismissive of individual brilliance.
"I don't know why it's discussed so much in our sport," James told Nash. "And why it's the end all, be all of everything. It's like, 'you weren't a great player if you never won a championship.' Or if you won one, then you can't be in the same conversation as this person."
He added, "You sit here and tell me Allen Iverson, Charles Barkley, and Steve Nash wasn't unbelievable? 'Oh they can't be talked about or discussed with these guys because this guy won [....] It's just weird to me. It's like saying Peyton Manning can't be in the same room with [Tom] Brady or [Patrick] Mahomes because he only has one ring."
James further emphasized this point by comparing the way greatness is measured in other sports, noting athletes like Dan Marino and Barry Bonds are still celebrated, regardless of their championship totals. However, popular opinion shows the NFL is all about "ring culture," as Peyton Manning is widely considered one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. However, Brady's seven Super Bowl rings keep him out of the conversation with his pair of championships.
Despite that, James claimed a championship is a team accomplishment and shouldn't overshadow personal impact or skill while asking for people to "appreciate" what these athletes have done.
"But like trying to nitpick an individual because he was not able
to win a team game or a team match or whatever the case may be, I don't know where it started," said James. "It's just it's a long conversation, especially when it comes to like you know me, individually. It's just so weird."