Throwback: Charles Barkley chooses Three of the Greatest Athletes in America
The American sports scene has witnessed the rise of numerous superstars. Some of them even became so successful that they were being classified as the greatest players in their respective sports. For instance, Tom Brady is considered the GOAT of American football. Similarly, Michael Jordan is the greatest that basketball has seen. What if we tried to pick another player who deserves the third spot on the list? Who would that be? Charles Barkley gave an interesting answer.
Who Charles Barkley thinks is the third GOAT?
Back in 2018, NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley was confronted by journalists at the LAX. Sir Chuck was asked to decide who’s the Greatest of All Time, between Tom Brady and Michael Jordan. In response, Barkley claimed it’s hard to choose between MJ and Brady. Also, he suggested there’s a third name that deserves to be mentioned alongside these all-time great athletes.
The 53-year old said, “No there’s no winner (between Jordan and Brady). They are the two greatest of what they have. And there’s Wayne Gretzky in that conversation. They are the greatest. Wayne Gretzky, Tom Brady, and Michael Jordan. They are the three greatest. “
LeBron not included in the list?
It is then that the reporter asked Barkley what about LeBron James. In response, the former power forward congratulated LeBron on reaching 30,000 career points (remember, the interview dates back to 2018) and Kobe Bryant on receiving an Oscar nomination.
About LeBron, Charles Barkley said, “I got much respect for him as a player and a person that’s a great accomplishment. He’s a hell of a player in the hell of a man.”
Tom Brady: The Undisputed NFL GOAT
Since winning his seventh Super Bowl, Tom Brady was dubbed the GOAT in NFL history. Obviously, some people prefer Peyton Manning ahead of Brady in the quarterback position. However, that’s a debate for a different day.
When it comes to performing in the playoffs, no other player has consistently shown such intensity as the seven-time Super Bowl winner. Brady plays on a whole different level whenever he comes to the playoffs.
Brady won his latest Super Bowl title at the age of 43. This time, he won it for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who had been previously struggling for 18 years. They trusted Brady to help them lift their second silverware and the legendary quarterback succeeded in doing so in his very first season with the Bucs.
Tom Brady: Midas Touch for the Bucs
A team that had won its last title in 2003, that too almost two decades ago, was nowhere near title contention. But they had Brady, “the Super Bowl specialist.” He is not new to the game. He understands that stakes are high in the playoffs and he had won the biggest trophy six times for New England Patriots, the most title won by any individual player. And he did it again. We are not sure if the Patriots felt sorry for letting Brady go, but the Buccaneers are certainly glad to have cash spent on this guy. Brady is a player of a lifetime. He is obviously one of the three GOATs in American sport, as rightly claimed by Charles Barkley.
