In recent years, LeBron James has become the foremost challenger to Michael Jordan in the "best basketball player of all time" debate that's so popular among NBA fans. One name you rarely hear is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, despite his historic achievements and longevity.

In an interview with Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated, Abdul-Jabbar said it doesn't bother him when he's not mentioned in the discussion of the greatest basketball players of all time. In fact, he doesn't think you can call anyone the GOAT. Via The Undefeated:

"These GOAT discussions are fun distractions while sitting around waiting for the pizza to be served," Abdul-Jabbar told The Undefeated. "But they're on a par with 'Which superpower would you want most: flight or invisibility?' Whether I'm included or not in anyone's list doesn't matter. I played my hardest and I helped my teammates. That's the most important thing I walked away with.

"The reason there is no such thing as the GOAT is because every player plays under unique circumstances. We played different positions, under different rules, with different teammates, with different coaches. Every player has to adapt to their circumstances and find a way to excel. This isn't Highlander. There can be more than one."

It's a logical argument (punctuated by a sick Highlander reference) given the extreme technological advancements and changes in the game from 1969 (Abdul-Jabbar's rookie NBA season) until today. Who's to say that if Abdul-Jabbar were playing today, he wouldn't be talked about more than James? And if Jordan played in the 1970s, he might have been even more dominant than he was during his own era. The point is we'll never have the answer, and that's why Abdul-Jabbar sees no merit in the debate.

PlayerNBA seasonsTitlesMVPsFinals MVPsAll-NBA

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

20

6

6

215

Michael Jordan

15

6

5

611

LeBron James

15

3

4

314

But one of the best parts of sports is the joy that comes with these unanswerable questions and the accompanying heated exchanges between fans. Because of this, we'll never get away from the "who's the greatest?" type of questions, no matter how repetitive they become and how futile the arguments may be.