Joel Embiid and Al Horford both performed well in Sunday's NBA All-Star Game. As teammates on Team Stephen, Embiid posted 19 points and eight rebounds while Horford added six points and five boards off the bench. As usual, Horford's stat sheet didn't turn heads, but he did a lot of things well.
Embiid and Horford, two of the best international big men in the NBA today, had time to chat as they sat on the bench together during the game. At one point, they even shared their thoughts on who they think is the best NBA player of all-time.
Embiid was mic'd up during the game, so the NBA recorded and shared the conversation on its Twitter account.
It started with the 23-year-old Embiid asking the 31-year-old Horford if he thought Michael Jordan was the G.O.A.T. Horford nodded. Embiid then mentioned a couple other names to consider: Wilt Chamberlain for his unmatched athleticism and gawdy stats as well asBill Russell for his 11 NBA championships.
Horford agreed with the two names Embiid mentioned, and he added one more: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who won six NBA titles and six regular-season MVP awards.
Before the game, LeBron James showed some love to a few of the all-time greats who sat courtside.
Of course, the names Embiid and Horford mentioned are among the select few who are referenced—along with Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Oscar Robertson, and LeBron—when fans have the "who was the GOAT?" debate. And that debate certainly won't end anytime soon. But it's funny to see some of the NBA's best consider that question themselves.
