The debate over basketball’s greatest player has raged for decades, but one insider believes the answer is closing in. According to Josh Eberley of ClutchPoints, Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James is on course to stand alone at the top, surpassing Michael Jordan and anyone else who has ever set foot on the hardwood.
Eberley bases his case on a system he designed called “E-Rank,” which weighs 23 separate elements of a player’s career. It credits everything from statistical production and peak dominance to hardware collected and championships secured. The method is meant to create a single, unified picture of greatness.
In Eberley’s current standings, James sits second all-time, with only Jordan ahead of him. He already edges out legendary Lakers such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, and Shaquille O’Neal. For Eberley, the climb has been a lifetime in the making.
“LeBron James’ legacy is immense,” he explains. “It cannot be captured by numbers alone. To properly understand it, you have to see the entire mosaic, from his rise as a teenager burdened with prophecy to the reality of his unmatched consistency. He was expected to fail under the weight of impossible expectations, but instead he turned that weight into history.”
Even at 40 years old, James remains one of the NBA’s most impactful players. Last season he suited up for 70 games with the Lakers, averaging 24.4 points on 51.3 percent shooting from the field, along with 7.8 rebounds, 8.2 assists, and his usual blend of steals and blocks. His production placed him squarely among the league’s elite despite being its oldest active player.
Jordan, for now, retains the top spot in Eberley’s framework. Yet James continues to stack accomplishments: four championships, four MVP awards, the all-time scoring title, and now an All-NBA nod in his 21st season. Each year extends the narrative, each milestone deepens the case.
“He has written chapters that no one else could,” Eberley notes. “And the book isn’t finished. His story is still unfolding, and when it reaches its end, the numbers, the context, and the achievements together will make him the definitive number one.”
