Mario Chalmers was one of the players privileged to share the court with LeBron James . Chalmers played for the Miami Heat from 2010 to 2014, the same four years that James spent in South Beach. Because of LeBron, Mario retired with two NBA rings, adding to his 2008 NCAA championship ring.
But while he witnessed LeBron's greatness at arguably the peak of his career, Mario does not consider his former teammate better than Michael Jordan. And he still does not think so even if 'Bron matches MJ's six-ring total with back-to-back titles with the Philadelphia 76ers this year and the next one.
"He's his own GOAT," said Chalmers when interviewed by Got Sole CEO Jonathan DiModica during a recent "Got Sole" event in Miami. "Certain people can't be touched. That's just what it is."
Mario's statement seems surprising not only because he won titles with LeBron, but also because players from the younger generation tend to pick LBJ as their GOAT, since he's the one they saw with their own eyes. Rio has always picked MJ as the greatest for him, and he explained why on Dwight Howard's podcast last year.
"When you talk to guys—whether they played with me or before me—they all say the same thing. With Jordan, it was fear," said Chalmers. "They called him 'Black Jesus.' They called him 'Black Cat.'"
Mario did tell Dwight that LeBron is a better player, if that's any consolation.
"Now, don't get it twisted—Bron is the best overall player you could want as a superstar. He's physically gifted and can do everything on the court. But my GOAT? The guy I'd want to live and die with in a big moment? That's Jordan. That's just me," Chalmers explained.
In the same interview with Dwight, Mario explained that players do not fear LeBron because instead of sowing fear in the opposition, he wants everybody to like him. Meanwhile, Jordan and Kobe Bryant, for that matter, didn't care about what the opponent felt about them. They just wanted to win, at all costs.
Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal also once said no player feared LeBron .
"LeBron James is my guy, but nobody was ever scared of LeBron," Shaq said. "So, if you're not scared of a guy, you just have much more confidence. That's a dangerous guy to play with. They respect him, but they don't fear him 'cause I can tell; I watched him playing against them, they not scared."
But while Chalmers said that not even six championships can make James the GOAT, Hall of Famer Charles Barkley, Shaq's co-host on "Inside the NBA" and former best friend of MJ, recently said that if LeBron wins back-to-back in Philly and walks away a six-time champ at age 44, he will have no choice but to crown him as the greatest.
"If he wins back-to-back championships and walks away from this thing at 44 or 45…I'll say something I ain't never said before," Chuck said . "I think I just saw the greatest basketball player ever."
"If he wins two more, I think you'd have to be kind of crazy not to say he's the best to ever do it," he emphasized.
As they say, to each his own. The GOAT debate in basketball is a never-ending argument. But while Barkley says his pick can be changed by a couple more rings, Chalmers' stance is non-negotiable.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Nov 3, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
