Cleveland, OH
Michael Wilbon: It's 'garbage' LeBron James must be viewed as better than Kobe Bryant or Magic Johnson
Regardless of where you stand on the NBA’s GOAT debate, most seem to agree that it’s now a two-man race between Michael Jordan and LeBron James.
Don’t, however, tell that to Michael Wilbon, who takes issue with the idea that James should be universally viewed as no less than the second-greatest basketball player to have ever lived.
Appearing on Friday’s episode of Get Up, Wilbon defended recent comments that were made by Jordan’s longtime agent, David Falk, who shaded James for switching teams at multiple points during his career. But after downplaying Falk’s comments as little more than an agent supporting his most famous client, the Pardon The Interruption star gave his own take on the GOAT debate, making it clear that he doesn’t think James should automatically viewed as Jordan’s greatest challenger.
“I’m not going to sit here and say that LeBron James has to be considered better than Magic Johnson. That’s garbage,” Wilbon said. “I’m not going to say LeBron James has to be considered better than Bill Russell. That’s garbage. I’m not going to say LeBron James has to be considered better than Kobe Bryant. That’s garbage.
“LeBron James is one of the greatest players of all time in all team sports. I’m sorry if that’s not good enough. Turn the page, get over yourself. In other words, I’m going to proclaim and support and wave the LeBron James flag for his greatness. But if I say he’s less than No. 2, that’s not good enough for you? To hell with you.”
The Chicago native went on to insist that he wasn’t just carrying water for Falk, who happens to be his neighbor.
“I’m not saying that in support of David Falk. I’m saying that as somebody who has watched basketball and lived with basketball my whole life,” Wilbon said. “I’ve got to say that LeBron James is better than Kobe Bryant? What? Put me in a grave first.”
“I’m not gonna sit here and say that LeBron James has to be considered better than Magic Johnson … Bill Russell … Kobe Bryant … That’s garbage.”
—@RealMikeWilbon weighs in on the NBA GOAT conversation after David Falk’s recent comments pic.twitter.com/ImXajFaiHY
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) May 23, 2025
Wilbon insisted that he wasn’t attempting to diminish James’ resume; rather, he was merely propping up the likes of Russell, Johnson and Bryant in the conversation. But while he didn’t state where he puts the current Los Angeles Lakers star in his own GOAT rankings, the tone of his comments seems to suggest that it’s lower than second.
Ultimately, such arguments are subjective and if Wilbon thinks that James is closer to Bryant than he is to Jordan in basketball’s hierarchy of all-time greats, that’s his prerogative. It just happens to be an unpopular opinion and one that can quickly be disputed by most statistical analyses.
Cleveland, OH
3 teens shot in Cleveland’s Clark-Fulton neighborhood
CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – Several teens were shot on Cleveland’s West Side on Tuesday afternoon.
The shooting happened around 4:05 pm in the 310O block of West 46th.
When officers arrived on scene, they found three teens shot: two 15-year-old males and a 16-year-old male.
They were all taken to MetroHealth Hospital in unknown conditions.
Check back with 19 News for the latest in this story.
Copyright 2026 WOIO. All rights reserved.
Cleveland, OH
Gas prices surge, impacting Northeast Ohio delivery drivers and small businesses
CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – Gas prices continue to soar, hitting drivers’ wallets hard. Delivery drivers who rely on their cars for work face added expenses.
Kevin Tran hops on his bike every day to make money through DoorDash. He empathizes with his fellow food delivery workers who are paying surging gas prices.
“It’s a strain not only on their cars and mileage but just their everyday expenses,” Tran said. “They won’t get paid until they use up their own money to spend for gas.”
He has not owned a car in close to a decade because of how expensive it can be.
“The last time I remember paying for gas it was probably the better part of $2 and even then for myself that seemed like an expense that I wasn’t willing to pay for,” Tran said.
According to AAA, Monday’s national average for a gallon of gas was $3.95. That is 24 cents higher than last week and $1.02 higher than last month.
A 19 News crew found a gallon was $3.99 at a gas station in Cleveland off West 150th Street.
“You see it’s $60, so it is what it is and at this point I guess you have to do what you got to do,” one driver said.
For small businesses like A Slice Above in Strongsville, they rely on their delivery drivers to help serve customers.
Higher prices at the pump can potentially impact the bottom line.
“Delivering for the drivers that’s some thing I’ll probably have to add a little bit later but also my vendors who deliver to me will start charging me more for deliveries,” Don Bersacola, the shop’s owner, said. “That happened 10, 15 years ago. They added a delivery fee to my produce, my meats so when they deliver they’re going to start charging me more so then I have to eventually but I don’t like to do that because consumers are hurting right now so you can’t just pass everything on to them.”
Despite the rising costs for fuel, he plans to keep his prices steady.
“I’ve been here 33 years so I’ve been through a lot so I can hold on for quite some time, I think,” Bersacola said. “Some of the smaller, newer ones maybe not so but I’m pretty confident.”
For drivers, there is no end in sight for when gas prices might drop back down.
Copyright 2026 WOIO. All rights reserved.
Cleveland, OH
ICE agents support Cleveland Hopkins International Airport TSA operations
CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – The Cleveland Hopkins International Airport confirmed there are “federal partners on-site” on Monday.
“These personnel are supporting TSA operations in a non-screening role, including assisting with passenger flow and divesting,” Cleveland Hopkins stated. “They are not conducting identification checks or screening passengers.”
Airport operations and passenger travel are not impacted by the federal agents’ presence at this time, Cleveland Hopkins said.
Cleveland Hopkins encourage travels to “proceed as usual and arrive as recommended for their flights.”
Leaders from both sides of the aisle have weighed in.
Copyright 2026 WOIO. All rights reserved.
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