Bam Adebayo’s latest all-time list left out LeBron James, and that omission turned heads fast.
Adebayo put together his top five players ever and went with Kobe Bryant, Stephen Curry, Michael Jordan, Kevin Durant, and Tim Duncan. James did not make the cut. Unsurprisingly, fans reacted online, because leaving LeBron off any all-time list is going to draw a crowd.
The snub lands with extra weight because Miami was one of the teams in the mix for James before he chose the Philadelphia 76ers. The source material frames that decision as the 76ers winning the bidding war, and it’s a big reason they’re being viewed as next season’s title favorites.
That move was a stunner for a couple of reasons. Cleveland and Miami, both of which were previously home to championship runs for James, were widely seen as the likeliest landing spots. Instead, he went to Philadelphia after the 76ers reshaped their roster into what the source describes as a title-ready group.
The Heat, though, weren’t standing still. Pat Riley and the front office landed Giannis Antetokounmpo in a blockbuster trade, giving Adebayo a two-time MVP alongside him. The catch is that Miami had to gut its roster to get him.
Philadelphia, by contrast, managed to strengthen the group without breaking the bank. Mike Gansey and the new front office were credited in the source with finding cheaper, more opportunistic ways to build around James.
Adebayo has already said he has no problem with James choosing the 76ers over the Heat. But top-five lists are where personal taste gets tested, and this one clearly rubbed some people the wrong way. James is the kind of player most stars can’t realistically leave out.
For now, the only real answer comes on the floor. The 76ers and the Heat are expected to battle for East supremacy next season, and that’s where James gets the chance to show Adebayo he made the right call.
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