Michael Jordan is the greatest player of all-time (which is me stating the obvious. Sometimes, you just gotta keep it simple). By far the best player I've ever seen. Magic Johnson is a close 2nd. Though I never seen Jerry West and Oscar Robertson play in the prime of their careers, My homework made me come to the conclusion that they are the two greatest shooting guards not named Jordan. Kobe Bryant may very well round out this list as the 5th greatest guard of all-time.
He'll NEVER be No. 1 & here's why:
His competitive drive seperates him from all his peers.
Jordan is the only man that made other players throw up before games, just because they were going up against the Bulls. Can't think of any other player in NBA history who struck THAT much fear into opponents.
The only man who opponents would pull for in a playoff series, so he won’t go HAM on them in the next game.
The lone athlete to play a sport with a statue outside of the arena he played home games in.
He elevated his game every year. He worked hard on his game & every season, he'd come back with something new in his arsenal.
He is the most complete player to come along in the past 25-30 years. And even if he scored 10,000 fewer points, he'd STILL be in the Top 50. By the time he won his 1st ring in '91 (better yet, by his 1st MVP season of '88, in which he also won Defensive Player Of The Year, the All-Star MVP, the Slam Dunk Contest, was All-NBA and All-Defense 1st Team), Mike already had NO WEAKNESS in his game. Name somebody who was the best offensive AND defensive player at the same time in an 8-year stretch like he was. Under 6-10. Can’t think of anybody, right? Wilt was the best offensive player in the 60s, while Russell dominated the paint on defense. Kareem had it going all thru the 70s, even with a diluted league before the ABA merger. Only player who has done it on both ends on a consistent basis for more than 3 seasons was Michael. He was able to shut down the opposing team's leading scorer, then turn around & get you 35+ points on that team's best defender (throw in 8 boards 5-8 dimes, a few steals & blocks). This was in his 4th season! On top of those accolades, he was already being considered the best player in the game, with Magic & Bird still in their prime & with 8 championships between them (Magic won 3 MVPs between 1987-1990) and during arguably the deepest era of talent the NBA has ever seen. By the end of the 1st 3-peat, he was being called the greatest of all-time. The 2nd 3-peat solidified his status.
I don't need to talk about all those big playoff & Finals games. From Bird in '86 to Byron Russell in '98, he turned the postseason into his own, 1-man house party. From April to June, he eleavated his game. This is what puts him at the top of his peers. He's NEVER choked in the playoffs, or lost in the Finals. He exerted his will on EVERY series. Every single playoff series he's played in has had one particular moment that has stood out, and if there isn't a moment, you can look at his stats and see how dominate he was.
This is why he's the best clutch player. Ever. Everybody in the arena & in the world knew he was gonna get the ball when the game is on the line & he delivered. Each time. That's what he lived for.
Jim Lyman said it best, "If Michael Jordan was able to play 82 close games, that would be his dream season".
Make a list of guys MJ played with in a Bulls uniform. Outside of Scottie Pippen & Dennis Rodman, the rest of those guys were either very good role players or fillers who knew their role.
Accolades:
6 Finals MVPs
5 Season MVPs (Won all 3 MVPs in '96 & '98. Only player to do that twice)
3 All-Star MVPs
10 Scoring Titles
9-time All-NBA & All-Defensive 1st Team
If he didn't retire the first time, He probably would've won those 2 titles Houston won in '94 & '95. And if he used his influence to stop the lockout in '98, the 98-99 season would've been his. He probably would've went up against Kobe in the 2000 Finals.....A good chance he would've had 10 rings, a few more MVPs (He should’ve won it in ’93 & ’97) & be 2nd all-time in points & steals. Even with the hiatus, Michael peaked FOUR times during his career. Magic & Bird peaked three times. And only a select few peaked twice.
MJ criticized his teammates, just like your typical superstar would. Lukily he came along when social and media were rarely put in the same sentence. It wouldn't be too far-fetched to envision him with just as much haters than some of the today's biggest names if he was in his prime today. Sam Smith's "The Jordan Rules" can tell you everything you need to know about this side of Mike not alot of today's fan know about, and yesterday's fan acknowledges, but chooses to ignore (depending on who you ask).
Kobe came into an organization which has never missed the playoffs for five consecutive seasons since theyve been in the NBA.Meanwhile, Jordan got drafted by a Chicago Bulls team who only got out the 1st round TWICE in its whole existence before they drafted him.
Not only did MJ bring a team from lottery to dynasty, he transcended the game globally. After Team USA took home the bronze at the '88 Olympics in Seoul, David Stern wanted NBA players to participate in the Olympics, with MJ being a key element in this decision. Stern was too aware of the revenue MJ was bringing in & globally marketed NBA around his brand.
And last, but not least, who does everybody wanna be like?
No comments:
Post a Comment