Kenny Smith: LeBron James needs 6 Championships to be in the GOAT conversation

Championships still matter most to Kenny “The Jet” Smith when it comes to Michael Jordan and LeBron James

The Michael Jordan versus LeBron James debate rages on. James finally lost a playoff game this year, scoring only 11 points. That is the sixth time in LeBron’s career he has scored less than 15 points in a playoff game, something Michael Jordan never did. Jordan’s lowest playoff total was 15 against the Knicks in 1989 in a 17-point loss. The Bulls won the series in six games, before losing to Detroit.

Kenny “The Jet” Smith, NBA studio analyst for TNT sports believes James has a long way to go before he can be in the greatest player ever conversation.

“Overall, six championships. Not three, not two, not four. Until you enter that conversation of six, then take a year off to play baseball, then you can talk to me about who is better,” Smith said during an interview with On The Mark. “Where I come from they don’t ask you how many points you scored, or how many All-Star games or MVP’s, they say did you win?”

James is aiming for a fourth title this year. Outside of Cleveland and Golden State, the Boston Celtics are the envy of the basketball world. To be in the Eastern Conference Finals, now with a win and to have the number one pick in the NBA Draft, just doesn’t happen too often.

Smith gave his opinion in on what the Celtics should do with their No. 1 overall pick. Reports have been published that the Celtics will keep the pick rather than trading for Jimmy Butler or Paul George.

“Isn’t the goal of your number one pick to play like those two guys?” Smith asked. “For me it really would depend on if those two are really available. Everyone says guys are available, but rarely is an offer truly made.”

Smith is working with JCPenny along with lottery picks to be De’Aaron Fox and Malik Monk. Fox is projected to be a top five pick, with Monk somewhere between the sixth and 10th picks. Smith sees this as a draft that will not be based on pure talent.

“I really look at the draft now as need,” Smith said. “Whoever needs a two guard is going to take Monk, whoever needs a point is going to Fox. I don’t think anyone in this draft has really separated themselves that much.”

Smith did not want to get ahead of the conference finals, but was willing to speculate if Golden State and Cleveland meet again in the NBA Finals there will be a different result from last year.

“If there is a rematch of last year’s finals, I think the addition of Kevin Durant will be the difference in a Game 7,” Smith said. “You got the same team basically, but now you have added arguably one of the top three players in all of basketball, so I would always side with that.”

There is no lack of confidence in either of Smith’s new working buddies in De’Aaron Fox and Malik Monk. Monk debated who would be picked first between himself and his college teammate.

“That’s a tough decision.” Monk said. “Whoever needs what I can do, or whoever needs what De’Aaron can does will go first. You never know how the draft will go.”

Asked who would win a one-on-one battle, Monk did not hesitate.

“Meeee. Easily,” Mong said laughing.