Tuesday night, Denzel Washington made an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! to promote his latest film The Equalizer 2 and give his take on the never-ending LeBron James vs. Michael Jordan G.O.A.T. debate.
Washington, an avid Los Angeles Lakers fan, gave his two cents regarding every NBA fan's favorite multi-generational rivalry. The conversation was sparked by Kimmel initially asking the season ticket holder if he was excited about King James signing with the purple and gold, to which he replied with an obvious, "Yes I am."
Then, Kimmel asked the Oscar-winning actor point blank, "Who do you think the best basketball player of all time is?" Washington initially appeared to be stumped by the question. As if he knew what Kimmel was alluding to, he even tried to skate around it by asking, "The greatest? But at what?" To which Kimmel hilariously replied, "Basketball."
To answer, Washington dropped an anecdote about watching MJ back in the day alongside New York Knicks superfan Spike Lee and dining with His Airness after the game. "I was trying to get him drunk, trying to get him off his game," he joked. Kimmel tried to goad the actor into admitting he thought Jordan was the G.O.A.T., but could only provoke a smile. Washington expertly avoided the trap of talking down on LeBron and, in doing so, might have already proven his loyalty to the new leader of the Los Angeles Lakers before he even takes the floor.
Along with the basketball banter, Washington also discussed playing a Lyft driver in his latest film, not using any apps on his iPhone, helping "save the Oscars" during the infamous Best Picture blunder at the 2017 Academy Awards, and more.
Next, check out an exclusive Equalizer 2 clip:
