Drawing Michael Jordan and Lionel Messi parallel, LeBron James' superfan contradicts IShowSpeed's GOAT viewpoint

Sports analyst Shannon Sharpe and popular streamer IShowSpeed went head-to-head on the LeBron James-Michael Jordan and the Lionel Messi-Cristiano Ronaldo debate. On Thursday's episode of the "Club Shay Shay" podcast, the two big personalities clashed on where they stand when it comes to basketball and soccer's greatest of all time (GOAT).

Sharpe is known as one of LeBron James' biggest supporters and has maintained his stance that the Los Angeles Lakers superstar sits above his peers in the all-time rankings. Meanwhile, IShowSpeed, or "Speed" as he is commonly referred to, is a die-hard Cristiano Ronaldo fan and believes the Portuguese icon is the man to catch when it comes to the soccer world.

Sharpe and Speed both believe James is the greatest basketball player of all time, but stand on opposite sides when it comes to Messi versus Ronaldo subject.

"I disagree with your argument," said Sharpe. "I like Messi, I like Bron."

Shannon Sharpe's unwillingness to waiver on his opinion seemed to trigger Speed who continued to make a case for Ronaldo.

"But Messi and Bron don't go together, Ronaldo and Bron goes together. They're both goats," said Speed. "Just cause he won a World Cup? Come on. He barely contributed into winning the World Cup."

Cristiano Ronaldo and LeBron James do share a lot of similarities. Both players have won a long list of titles and personal accolades with several different teams over their careers.

They are both respected for their work ethic, discipline and their continuing success late into their careers. James, who will turn 40 next month, won the NBA Cup last season and took home a gold medal at the Paris Olympic Games this summer. Ronaldo, 39, remains one of the most dangerous scorers in international soccer and led Portugal to the quarterfinals of Euro 2024 in Germany this summer.

IShowSpeed creates a wide range of content but is also regarded as a soccer aficionado with a deep knowledge of the game. He regularly posts content related to Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo.

Shannon Sharpe makes Caitlin Clark-LeBron James comparison when discussing impact of WNBA superstar

Former NFL player Shannon Sharpe attends the game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Oklahoma City Thunder at Crypto.com Arena. Photo Credit: Imagn

LeBron James' impact on the league since making his NBA debut in 2003 cannot be overstated. The four-time champion has been the face of the NBA over the last two decades and has evolved into one of the most popular sports figures on the planet. Few players can be compared to James, but Caitlin Clark's arrival to the WNBA had a similar effect to that of the Lakers superstar.

Clark is coming off a sensational rookie season where she broke several WNBA records, most notably the all-time single-season assists record. She also led the Indiana Fever to their first playoff appearance since 2016. On a macro level, attendance and viewership figures for the WNBA skyrocketed following the arrival of the gifted guard.

During an episode of ESPN's "First Take" in September, Shannon Sharpe went as far as to compare Clark's impact to that of James' during his rookie year in the NBA.

"As far a box office, tell me the lady that came in...she is basically the LeBron James. The kind of hype that LeBron came into the NBA with, Caitlin Clark came into the WNBA with the same kind of hype, and she backed it up," said Sharpe.

Clark still has a long way to go before she can match James' extraordinary achievements. Now in his 22nd year in the league, James continues to put up big numbers with the Lakers and doesn't appear to be showing any signs of slowing down.