LeBron James Slammed by Skip Bayless in NBA GOAT Debate: 'Pathetic'
The debate about which professional basketball player is the Greatest of All Times (GOAT) must include LeBron James. Almost everyone would agree with that.
However, one top broadcaster ignited debate when he slammed James while ruling him out as the GOAT. Skip Bayless put James at #9 on the list of the greatest basketball players of all time and now he's defending himself from backlash. Bayless took to X on the evening of May 11 to explain his ranking again and respond to the backlash.
James is the "most mentally psychologically fragile superstar ever and it ain't even close, if you look at all the epic fails," claimed Bayless. He said James is the leading scorer because of his longevity. And yet James is a "lousy three-point shooter... and an even worse freethrow shooter." He called James' freethrow shooting "pathetic." Bayless said James was not "born with a clutch gene" and gets dicey with games on the line. He runs from taking the last shot, claimed Bayless.
Skip Bayless Explained That He Was 'Amused by the Backlash'
Bayless acknowledged that his ranking of James has been controversial.
"Tell me where I'm wrong about LeBron because I just don't get it. I'm amused by the backlash," he wrote on X. "And the truth is, the God's truth is I think when I put LeBron at No. 9 that people react so strongly because deep deep down at the very bottom of their psyche, they know I'm right."
He said he received an "incredible backlash" all over social media over "ranking LeBron James' number nine on my all-time list. What? I have ranked LeBron number nine for years," Bayless said. "For a long time, many, many years, I've had LeBron at number nine."
Tell me where I'm wrong about LeBron because I just don't get it. I'm amused by the backlash. And the truth is, the God's truth is I think when I put LeBron at No. 9 that people react so strongly because deep deep down at the very bottom of their psyche, they know I'm right. pic.twitter.com/z7cMK2NZFJ
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) May 12, 2026
He said James should "change his jersey number to nine." Stephen A. Smith earlier debated Bayless on the topic, choosing Michael Jordan as the GOAT and James as number two.
"That's asinine," claimed Bayless, summing up his debate with Smith. "I am not hating," he said, adding that he was just telling the "truth." He said that he had backed up his claim.
"This is what disqualifies LeBron for me, Draymond Green called LeBron a b-ch right to his face. Screamed it," Bayless said on Arena Gridiron. "Then, Ime Udoka last year called LeBron a b-ch to his face during a game. Would anybody think to call Kobe Bryant or Larry Bird a b-ch to their face?"
Skip Bayless Did Have Some Praise for LeBron James
Bayless said that James has had "epic failure" in his record, including his playoff record. He said he was called insane and blasphemous for his ranking.
Bayless stressed that he has said that James is the best power driver of the basketball that he has ever seen, calling James a "generational passer. Great passer," who is sometimes "genius" on the basketball court. He said James was the "most durable athlete who has ever played any sport at the highest level. He's incredible," saying he was the longevity GOAT and has "never had a single surgery. He has been blessed by the basketball gods."
He's 9th on the list because Bayless said Michael Jordan is the "greatest player ever, the greatest performer ever in any sport. The greatest clutch player ever in any sport." He ranked Magic Johnson as his number two.
This story was originally published by Men's Journal on May 12, 2026, where it first appeared in the Sports section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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This story was originally published May 11, 2026 at 11:59 PM.