The argument around which athlete is the greatest of all time (GOAT) is something upon which no one can seem to agree.
But I would argue there are multiple GOATs within the history of sports.
There are many factors when discussing and identifying who is the GOAT.
Some people like to bring retired or deceased athletes into the conversation, but for the sake of this discussion I’ll only look at active athletes as opposed to all athletes who’ve ever lived.
Through that lense, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James is the GOAT of team sports and Serena Williams is the GOAT of individual sports.
Individual sports and team sports are very different and sports in both categories require varying athletic abilities.
Individual sports, including tennis, require the athlete to be responsible and in control of themselves.
Team sports, including basketball, make it necessary for athletes to be in tune with their teammates on the playing field.
When debating whether James is the GOAT, many bring world-famous retiree Michael Jordan to the conversation.
People tend to compare James’ and Jordan’s win and loss records in the NBA Finals.
Although Michael Jordan has won all six of the NBA finals he’s been to, James has played in far more.
According to an article on Fansided, a website designed for fans by fans passionate about sports, James has been to 10 NBA Finals but has only won three.
It may sound like a small feat, but competing in the NBA Finals is a big accomplishment that many athletes can’t reach because of its high difficulty and intense competitiveness.
James is also an amazing facilitator and overall team player.
He has a record of more than 9,000 assists and 9,000 rebounds as of April 2020, according to the statistics website Clutchpoints.
James is an amazing athlete overall with a stellar record.
When James returned to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2014, he took the team to the finals the following four years from 2015-18.
He led the Cavaliers in beating the strongest team at the time, the Golden State Warriors, in 2016 from a 3-1 deficit.
He has the ability to single-handedly improve the performance of any team.
He is the GOAT of team sports.
When it comes to individual sports, the GOAT is Williams.
I conducted an Instagram poll on Feb. 9-10 that received 87 votes for Serena Willams to be named the GOAT, between her, Tom Brady, James and Steph Curry.
Even former NBA star Dwayne Wade agrees Williams is the GOAT, according to a Feb. 9 tweet from Twitter account @NBAonTNT.
Not only do her 23 Grand Slam titles and four Olympic gold medals speak for themselves, but it’s the biggest point Wade made while on the postgame show, NBA on TNT.
Williams even won the Australian Open while she was pregnant.
Pregnancy is incredibly difficult on its own, but to continue competing and still win the Australian Open is an enormous accomplishment.
Being a female athlete has its own obstacles, including some people’s beliefs about women not being as athletically gifted as men, yet Williams is able to shut critics up with
her performances.
With so many variables to consider when deciding who the GOAT is, there will always be different GOATs for different sports.
But for today, it is LeBron James and Serena Williams.
