Michael Jordan, the Greatest?

[AndySfromVA]

With the release of "the Last Dance", a documentary on Michael Jordan, a lot of his contemporaries are weighing in on where he stands compared to other great NBA players. I've been a basketball fan since the 1960's and while Jordan is an all time great whether he's the absolute best is hard to say. Jordan was the best defender at the guard position - no one else comes close. He had the best move to the basket I've ever seen, with Julius Erving, Kobe Bryant and Lebron James tied for second. But he couldn't pass like Magic Johnson and Bob Cousy, and his outside shot, while good, was not in the class of Steph Curry, Larry Bird, Jerry West or Reggie Miller. Jordan was a very good rebounder and shot blocker for a man of his height but Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell had no peers in rebounding and shot blocking. Overall if I had to pick one player to build a team around it wouldn't be Michael Jordan - I'd go with Wilt.

[budd]

interesting. Not sure i'd pick Wilt in today's game, fast up and down the court, 3 point line. Don't get me wrong, Wilt would still get his, just not sure that wins enough today. I'd throw GP as one of the best defender at the guard position. When i think of best guard defenders, MJ and GP are the ones that rise above the rest, Stockton wasn't bad either, pretty scrapy. Of course i'm bias as a Sonics fan, well a used to be Sonics fan since Howard Shultz Fuc**d us over. I'd take Bird, Magic, or MJ, to start a team, not sure who i'd pick but i think Bird and Magic were better at making there team mates better, while MJ was definitely a better individual player. The ability of MJ to take over a game was a site to behold, but again he couldn't win it all until he go help. I'm not much of a fan anymore, the game got stale to me, a bunch of 1 on 1 or hoisting up three's. I was raised on the late 70's through the 80's to the early 90's ball. They played every game they could and it was a more physical game, less flopping and ticky, tacky fouls.

[demyansk]

Jordan and Gretsky changed the game just like Ruth did for baseball.

[Canoerebel]

I'm not a basketball fan but consider Michael Jordan the NBA's preeminent player.

[RangerJoe]

The problem is when you try to compare players who played at different time, under different rules, as well as how they were coached. Not to mention whether or not they tried to get an advantage through chemicals, not through better known training and diet techniques.

[AndySfromVA]

We have the ability to compare players of different eras through video.
Some of the players from the 50's and 60's don't look that great but Chamberlain and Russell are the exceptions.

[RangerJoe]

The playing style was very different back then.

[budd]

Some are just great and could play in any era, under any rules. Anyone think Oscar Robertson couldn't play in any era?

Getting back to Jordan, not sure anyone had a better individual year than Jordan did in 87-88. He didn't win the championship that year but did everything else.

87-88
most valuable player
scoring champion 35ppg
defensive player of year
NBA all star
slam dunk champion
steals leader 3+ per game
most minutes played 40+ per game
also shot over 53% from the floor and average over 5 rebounds and assists.

Couldn't remember the year had to look it up, but it was the best single year i ever watched a player have.

[demyansk]

I don't have espn, wish I could watch this

[AndySfromVA]

Check out YouTube for highlights of the great basketball stars. Jordan, Lebron, Dr. J and Kobe will amaze you with their high-flying feats.

[Jason96]

I think it depends when it comes to who is the best basketball player. Is it Statistics, Championships or MVPs? Robert Horry has more championships than Michael Jordan. Does anyone think he’s a better player? Of course not.
To me, My answer will always be Michael Jordan. Again, look at what I said, the greatest player I’ve ever seen. I’m sorry for repeating myself.