LeBron James already on 'Mt. Rushmore' of NBA players, says Stan Van Gundy

Stan Van Gundy, pictured here as the Orlando head coach in a 2009 game against Cleveland, said this week that LeBron James is already on his Mt. Rushmore of the four best players in NBA history. (Fernando Medina/Getty Images)

Former Orlando Magic and Miami Heat head coach Stan Van Gundy said this week on NBC Sports Radio that reigning MVP LeBron James is already on his Mt. Rushmore of players.

Van Gundy was asked on the show who he would put in his class of the best four players in NBA history after James said this week that he will be "one of the top four to ever play this game" when he retires (as recapped by the Point Forward's Ben Golliver).

SI WIRE: Report: Cavaliers traded Andrew Bynum after inappropriate practice behavior

The 54-year-old Van Gundy said it's a tough decision but ultimately a group of Michael Jordan, Oscar Robertson, Wilt Chamberlain and James would be at least "as good a four as anybody else is going to put up there," according to the NBC show:

"Look, you could probably throw a lot of other names at me and I’d say ‘yea,’ it’s tough. Really it’s tough. How do you leave out Kareem Abdul-Jabbar? How do you leave out Magic Johnson? How do you leave out Larry Bird? How do you leave out Jerry West? We could go on and on, guys like Elgin Baylor, when you’re trying to get it to four guys it’s going to be hard. But on mine, yea, I’ll go with Wilt, Oscar, Michael Jordan and LeBron. That’s at least as good a four as anybody else is going to put up there."

Asked for his list of the four best to lace them up, James said it's Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and Oscar Robertson. He didn't specify which of those four he plans to supplant.

SI WIRE: NBA Commissioner Adam Silver: No plans to add Seattle team