The 2025-26 NBA season is in full swing, renewing the long-running debate over the league’s greatest player.In the past two decades, much of the often spirited discussion has centered on Michael Jordan and four-time league MVP LeBron James.Decorated former U.S. Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps suggested the six-time NBA champion Jordan was the clear leader in the league’s hierarchy. “[No.] 23, the original, the original GOAT,” he replied, when asked at the Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year ceremony to choose between the Chicago Bulls legend and the Los Angeles Lakers superstar.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COMPhelps said he drew inspiration from Jordan’s game and applied it to swimming. “For me, Michael Jordan was always the one I looked up to and wanted to do what he did in basketball in the sport of swimming. So, Jordan.”RUSSELL WESTBROOK MAKES NBA HISTORY, PASSING OSCAR ROBERTSON IN SCORING MILESTONEPhelps also picked Jordan when asked to decide between Jordan and 15-time major golf champion Tiger Woods. Serena Williams, who won the U.S. Open singles title six times during her storied career, also could not dethrone Jordan from Phelps’ list. “Going to say MJ for the sweep.”WNBA icon Diana Taurasi and seven-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady were also compared to Jordan, with both falling short — in Phelps’ opinion.Phelps’ name was even mentioned, but he admitted that even he could not measure up to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer.”For me, he was my childhood idol. Again, watching him on and off the court,…
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