Stephen Jackson shares why LeBron James hurt his GOAT case with 76ers move

Former player Stephen Jackson believes LeBron James took himself out of the GOAT conversation after joining the Philadelphia 76ers.

James announced his choice to join the 76ers this summer, signing a two-year deal that includes a player option in the second year. This marks his 24th and possibly 25th seasons in the NBA, a historic record that will be difficult for future players to achieve.

Jackson made an appearance on the All The Smoke podcast on Thursday. He made a bold take, claiming that James joining a team like Philadelphia isn’t something that Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant would do.

“With all the GOAT talk comparing him [LeBron] to Michael and Kobe, going back to Cleveland was the only move that made sense to keep him in that conversation. Joining a team that’s already championship-ready isn’t the best player in the league challenging himself,” Jackson said.

Stephen Jackson says LeBron James isn’t in the same conversation as Kobe and MJ anymore after joining a championship-ready team in Philadelphia

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— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) August 28, 2026

What lies ahead for LeBron James, 76ers next season

Many people will have their stances on LeBron James going to the 76ers, including Stephen Jackson. Nonetheless, James has a fifth championship to pursue going into next season.

James continues to shine as one of the best players in the league at age 41. Taking part in 60 games throughout the 2025-26 campaign, he averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds per game. In the playoffs, he produced 23.2 points, 7.3 assists and 6.7 rebounds per contest.

Philadelphia finished with a 45-37 record last season, securing the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference standings. They stunned the Boston Celtics in a 3-1 series comeback in the first round. However, they eventually lost in a four-game sweep to the New York Knicks in the East Semifinals.

The 76ers enjoyed an incredible offseason, adding James and Jaylen Brown to the roster. They also bolstered their overall depth by signing key role players in the backcourt with Anfernee Simons and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, making the team a possibly fierce contender for the 2027 championship.

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