Tag: Ralph Lawler

Ralph Lawler: LeBron James is the greatest ever and it’s not even close

Former Clippers play-by-play man Ralph Lawler made it clear that he considers LeBron James the greatest NBA player ever — by far.

For 41 seasons, Ralph Lawler served as the play-by-play voice for the Los Angeles Clippers, dating to their days in San Diego in the late 1970s.

He decided to call it quits a few years ago, but his long broadcasting career allowed him to witness many of the NBA’s greatest players up close and personal over the years.

Many people in Lawler’s age group seem inclined to believe Michael Jordan is the greatest player in basketball history. But Lawler firmly believes LeBron James is the greatest ever, and he recently made that clear on X, formally known as Twitter.

In fact, he says it isn’t close or even worth discussing (h/t Lakers Daily).

Just about every basketball fan knows James’ major accomplishments by heart. But in recent years, he has added ridiculous longevity to his resume.

This season, his 21st in the NBA, he’s averaging 25.3 points, 7.5 rebounds and 6.7 assists a game while shooting 55.1% from the field and 40.5% from 3-point range. He has helped stabilize the Los Angeles Lakers after a 3-5 start and has guided them to a 15-10 record, which put them in fifth place in the Western Conference going into Thursday.

If James isn’t the greatest ever, it’s mostly because of his 4-6 record in the NBA Finals. But the Lakers have shown at least some ability to contend for this year’s world championship, and a fifth ring would certainly strengthen James’ argument for being the greatest basketball player in history.

Ralph Lawler has been toying with the …

Ralph Lawler has been toying with the idea of starting his own podcast or taking ukulele lessons or doing some teaching at the community college not far from his home here in Bend, a leafy city in central Oregon. He also has a book he might want to write. Or perhaps he could start a small business with his wife, Jo. “Oh, I don’t know,” Lawler said. “I think every day about something. I just haven’t really figured out how to live life without basketball yet.”

Lawler said he was thrilled when he …

Lawler said he was thrilled when he heard about Leonard and George — “I said, ‘What!’” he recalled — and he still has no regrets about stepping aside when he did. He is often reminded of a piece of advice his father gave him: Better to retire a year too early than a year too late. “Based on how I’m feeling, I may have retired too early,” he said. “But I didn’t want to be too late.”