Michael Jordan was the first to be firmly known as the GOAT. Then came LeBron James, who threw his name into the conversation by becoming the best player in the league for the past 21 years.

Generally, the discussions of who is the GOAT center around these two. However, former superstar Vince Carter thinks Kobe Bryant‘s name should be on the list too. While speaking with Taylor Rooks, Carter touched upon the same.

I'm truly thankful, I got the chance to play against Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and of course LeBron. I'm gonna name those 3 because we're always talking about the greatest to play the game. Kobe Bryant should and will, out of my mouth, be named one of the greatest to ever play the game. They deserve to be talked about as a trio. Not a duo. I don't understand why. Why is he not in that conversation?

Vince Carter said

Carter explained that Kobe Bryant did everything Michael Jordan did and won 5 NBA titles. More importantly, he used to dominate games unlike no other player used to.

His logic does warrant some thought as Kobe Bryant was known to mirror what Jordan did on the court. But he added his Mamba Mentality to go with those skills and succeed at the highest level. Kobe Bryant was the epitome of what an assassin on a basketball court was. Opponents feared him and he would do what he wanted.

LeBron James has taken the game to another level and has been at the forefront of the NBA for the longest time possible. As his career overlapped with Bryant, his rise to the top and winning titles did dent Bryant position in the GOAT debate.

Kobe Bryant’s legacy does warrant a shout in the GOAT debate

When Kobe Bryant came into the league, he was seen as a scrawny kid who struggled initially while with the Los Angeles Lakers. Then, under the tutelage of Shaquille O’Neal and the other veterans, Bryant began to develop and become one of the best guards in the league. Then came head coach Phil Jackson and the duo of Bryant and O’Neal went on to win 3 NBA titles.