The debate over basketball's greatest player of all time has followed LeBron James through four franchises and 24 NBA seasons, and it isn't going anywhere now that he's a Philadelphia 76er. Hall of Famer Ray Allen, who played alongside James and against Michael Jordan during his 18-year career, has made clear in recent years that his vote still belongs to Jordan.

James signed a two-year, $8 million contract with Philadelphia in July, ending his eight-season run with the Los Angeles Lakers and setting up what he has called his "last decision" as a player. The move reunites him with Joel Embiid, his teammate on the United States' gold medal-winning 2024 Olympic team, and pairs him with All-Star wing Jaylen Brown, whom the 76ers acquired from Boston in a blockbuster trade. Philadelphia also completed a separate trade sending rookie forward-center Johni Broome to the Los Angeles Clippers to clear salary-cap room for James and veteran guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.

Allen's long-standing position on Jordan

Allen, who won two NBA championships and is best remembered for his game-tying 3-pointer in Game 6 of the 2013 Finals as James' teammate on the Miami Heat, has repeatedly and consistently sided with Jordan in the sport's defining debate. In an interview with Dan Patrick, Allen offered a direct comparison of the two stars.

"I think [James] certainly, just off the cuff, he's certainly in the top five of all time. But playing against him and MJ, I think for me it's MJ all day........

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