AJ Dybantsa may be the projected No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, but like every basketball fan, he still has an opinion on the sport’s biggest debate.
The BYU star recently appeared on the From The Logo podcast and shared his thoughts on the never-ending Michael Jordan versus LeBron James GOAT conversation. While Dybantsa ultimately sided with Jordan, he admitted that studying LeBron’s early career changed his perspective significantly.
For Dybantsa, the debate is far closer than many people believe.
“I always say it’s 1A and 1B. But I still give the 1A to Jordan,” Dybantsa said.
The future NBA star explained that his opinion evolved after spending time watching old footage from the beginning of LeBron’s career.
“Recently, I’ve been watching a lot of old LeBron footage. I went all the way back to 2003. Honestly, I had never really gone back and watched old LeBron like that. I watched The Last Dance, and it showed me a lot. After that, I watched a ton of Jordan highlights. But I never went back and watched the early LeBron years.”
What he found surprised him.
“So I thought the gap was much bigger than it actually was. After watching all that old LeBron footage, the gap is like this.”
As he said those words, Dybantsa held his fingers extremely close together, indicating just how little separation he believes exists between the two legends.
It is an interesting perspective from one of basketball’s brightest young stars because many members of Dybantsa’s generation grew up watching LeBron rather than Jordan. Instead of automatically picking the player he watched live, Dybantsa went back and studied both careers before forming his opinion.
Jordan’s resume remains difficult to challenge.
The Chicago Bulls legend won six NBA championships, six Finals MVP awards, five regular-season MVPs, a Defensive Player of the Year award, and ten scoring titles. His perfect 6-0 Finals record continues to be one of the strongest arguments in his favor.
LeBron’s case is built differently.
The four-time champion has become the NBA’s all-time leading scorer while also ranking among the greatest passers, rebounders, and all-around players in league history. His longevity has been unprecedented, with elite production spanning more than two decades since entering the league in 2003.
Dybantsa has never hidden his admiration for LeBron either.
Earlier this offseason, he revealed that he hopes James delays retirement long enough for them to potentially share an NBA court one day. He has also spoken about how much he respects LeBron’s impact on the game and his ability to remain dominant at age 41.
Still, when forced to choose, Dybantsa gives the slight edge to Jordan.
The comments add another layer to what has become a fascinating year for the 18-year-old prospect. Dybantsa recently named Kevin Durant as his favorite player growing up, compared parts of his game to Tracy McGrady, and continues to prepare for what many expect to be a top selection in the 2026 NBA Draft.
As for the GOAT debate, Dybantsa may have delivered one of the most balanced answers yet.
Jordan gets the nod.
But according to the future NBA star, the difference between Jordan and LeBron is far smaller than most fans are willing to admit.
