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LeBron James vs Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Which player? Pick one and see how the world splits.
- LeBron James Cleveland Cavaliers · 1984– 52% · #2 in the world
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Los Angeles Lakers · 1947– 48% · #3 in the world
What the votes say
Too close to call: the world picks LeBron James over Kareem Abdul-Jabbar by just 52% to 48%. LeBron James is #2 of the 250 NBA players in the world ranking, and #1 of the 6 of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is #3, and #1 of the 14 of the Los Angeles Lakers.
The case for each
LeBron James: Passed Kareem's scoring record in February 2023 and kept going past 40,000 points; four championships with three different teams and four MVPs.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: The NBA's all-time leading scorer for almost 39 years with 38,387 points and the unstoppable skyhook; six championships and a record six MVP awards with Milwaukee and the Lakers.
Side by side
| LeBron James | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | |
|---|---|---|
| World rank | #2 | #3 |
| Team | Cleveland Cavaliers | Los Angeles Lakers |
| Born | 1984 | 1947 |