NBA star surprised: Michael Jordan is out of the all-time starting five

Devin Booker provided an intriguing answer to one of the never-ending debates in basketball. The Phoenix star was asked to assemble his all-time NBA starting five, and he chose Stephen Curry, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Shaquille O'Neal. The notable name left out: Michael Jordan.

Booker's lineup includes three players who won a championship with the Los Angeles Lakers — Kobe, LeBron, and Shaq. It is also composed of several stars who played a role in his career: Booker teamed up with Durant in Phoenix and played alongside LeBron and Curry on the USA national team that won the gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

His admiration for Kobe began even before he became an NBA star, although he grew up in Michigan as a Detroit fan.

"When I was a kid in Michigan and a Pistons fan, we weren't Kobe fans. We played the Lakers in the Finals and we beat them, and that was a big part of my childhood. Everyone respected him. You might not have liked him when he played against your team, but you respected his mentality."

Booker's rookie season was also Bryant's final season in the league, and the two managed to develop a personal connection.

"Kobe left me a lot of great advice. People always told me he wasn't open to everyone, but I was among the few he invited to the Gigi basketball tournament in Arizona. I spent time with him and the girls. He was always on time and worked harder than everyone else."

Booker's choice comes at a time when the debate over the identity of the greatest basketball player in history continues to focus on Jordan and LeBron. American commentator Colin Cowherd recently argued that even if Jordan is considered by many to be the best player, James has already become the most influential.

"Jordan is the best shoe salesman, but LeBron is the most influential player in NBA history. For 24 consecutive years, he has led the discourse. Last season, he was in first place in social media views with three billion views."

According to him, LeBron's move to Philadelphia ahead of his 26th season in the league demonstrated his power even at age 41. Commissioner Adam Silver admitted that the league waited for his decision before finalizing parts of the schedule for the 2026/27 season, and the Sixers received the highest number of national games in the league after his addition.

Commercially, the impact was also immediate: according to "Fanatics", LeBron's jersey in Philadelphia recorded the highest sales in the first 48 hours for an athlete joining a new team in major sports, breaking the record held by Shohei Ohtani.