Michael Phelps crowns Michael Jordan NBA’s all-time biggest participant

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The 2025-26 NBA season is in full swing, renewing the long-running debate over the league’s biggest participant.

Previously 20 years, a lot of the customarily spirited dialogue has centered on Michael Jordan and four-time league MVP LeBron James.

Embellished former U.S. Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps instructed the six-time NBA champion Jordan was the clear chief within the league’s hierarchy.

"[No.] 23, the unique, the unique GOAT," he replied, when requested on the Sports activities Illustrated Sportsperson of the 12 months ceremony to decide on between the Chicago Bulls legend and the Los Angeles Lakers celebrity.

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LeBron James, left, and Michael Jordan attend the 2022 NBA All-Star Sport at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, Feb. 20, 2022, in Cleveland, Ohio. (Kevin Mazur/Getty Photos)

Phelps stated he drew inspiration from Jordan’s sport and utilized it to swimming.

"For me, Michael Jordan was all the time the one I seemed as much as and wished to do what he did in basketball within the sport of swimming. So, Jordan."

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Phelps additionally picked Jordan when requested to resolve between Jordan and 15-time main golf champion Tiger Woods.

Serena Williams, who gained the U.S. Open singles title six occasions throughout her storied profession, additionally couldn't dethrone Jordan from Phelps’ listing. "Going to say MJ for the sweep."

WNBA icon Diana Taurasi and seven-time Tremendous Bowl winner Tom Brady have been additionally in comparison with Jordan, with each falling brief — in Phelps’ opinion.

Phelps' identify was even talked about, however he admitted that even he couldn't measure as much as the Naismith Memorial Basketball Corridor of Famer.

Retired U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps says six-time NBA champion Michael Jordan is the NBA's GOAT. (Sarah Stier/Getty Photos)

"For me, he was my childhood idol. Once more, watching him on and off the court docket, what he did, how he dealt with himself," Phelps stated. "It doesn't matter what he went by, when he was on the court docket, the whole lot was left behind, and he was in a position to be who he was making an attempt to be… one of the best model of himself. There have been no excuses and, for me, that is form of how I modeled my profession."

Phelps gained 28 Olympic medals — essentially the most of all time by a single athlete. He's broadly thought of the best Olympian in historical past.

In 1996, the NBA unveiled its 50 Best Gamers listing, recognizing the highest gamers in league historical past as much as that time.

The 2025-26 NBA season is in full swing, renewing the long-running debate over the league’s biggest participant of all time. (Ethan Miller/Getty Photos)

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The listing grew to become often known as the NBA’s fiftieth Anniversary All-Time Crew. 1 / 4-century later, the league debuted one other anniversary listing, its seventy fifth Anniversary Crew, that includes legendary athletes from completely different eras.