Is Michael Jordan the best Basketball player to ever play the game?

[xXGadfly09Xx]

Michael is....for now.

It really is close though.

Wilt Averaged 50 points and 20 rebounds for a SEASON

Kareem is the ALL TIME SCORING LEADER

Russel has 11 titles

My list goes like this

1 MJ
2 Russell
3 Wilt
4 Kareem
5 Kobe
6 Magic
7 Shaq
8 LeBron
9 Bird
10 Duncan

Notice how 3 of those are active players.

Duncan and Kobe's legacies are pretty much set in stone.

Think about LBJ for a second. He is a better magic johnson. He is Stockton AND Malone 2 in 1.

This season from LBJ was historically one of the best ever.

When it is all said and done I see lebron with between 4-6 championships and 5-7 mvps making him the best of all time.

Lebron can do what Jordon cant, DEFEND EVERYBODY on the court.

think about that, he can cover a 5'8" Nate robinson all the way through centers

He is built like no athlete ever seen.

 

[venom_inc]

Not only is he the best player in the NBA, he is argubaly the most dominate athlete of all time.

 

[Coiled03]

Lebron can do what Jordon cant, DEFEND EVERYBODY on the court.

I really wish people would quit saying this. Just because he happens to match up with a position for a few trips down the floor does NOT mean he can DEFEND every position for a full game.

Seriously? You really think he could guard a 7-footer for a whole game? Please.

LBJ MIGHT wind up being the GOAT. But he has a long way to go to get there. As it is, he'll never match MJs perfect record in the Finals. It seems like a small thing now, but when details matter, it could be a difference maker.

 

[svquattro]

Being the greatest player of all time will take more than just the physical part of the game. Jordan had the ability to make everyone around him better. Lebron doesn't have that. If he has a bad game the entire team does too. MJ wouldn't even allow his team to do that.

 

[xXGadfly09Xx]

I really wish people would quit saying this. Just because he happens to match up with a position for a few trips down the floor does NOT mean he can DEFEND every position for a full game.

Seriously? You really think he could guard a 7-footer for a whole game? Please.

LBJ MIGHT wind up being the GOAT. But he has a long way to go to get there. As it is, he'll never match MJs perfect record in the Finals. It seems like a small thing now, but when details matter, it could be a difference maker.

It doesnt matter about the whole game. In the last 2 minutes when the opponent goes to their best player WHOEVER IT is LBJ CAN defend that person for the last 4 possessions.

MJ couldnt do it for 1 TRIP down the floor.

I actually give LBJ for getting that HORRIBLE Cavs team to the finals (the year he got swept). HOWEVER I do hold the 2011 Finals against him.

Think about this, LBJ is the same size as charles Barkley with the passing ability of John Stockton, Dunking like Shawn Kemp, Scoring like Karl Malone, a BETTER big O, he is quite honestly built in a video game.

Think of Magic Johnson but a better scorer.

LBJ is the real deal

 

[da5deuce]

Could make an argument for Bill Russell but thats 2 different eras

 

[Coiled03]

It doesnt matter about the whole game. In the last 2 minutes when the opponent goes to their best player WHOEVER IT is LBJ CAN defend that person for the last 4 possessions.

MJ couldnt do it for 1 TRIP down the floor.

I actually give LBJ for getting that HORRIBLE Cavs team to the finals (the year he got swept). HOWEVER I do hold the 2011 Finals against him.

Think about this, LBJ is the same size as charles Barkley with the passing ability of John Stockton, Dunking like Shawn Kemp, Scoring like Karl Malone, a BETTER big O, he is quite honestly built in a video game.

Think of Magic Johnson but a better scorer.

LBJ is the real deal

So, you're crediting him with the ability to "defend" every position on the floor on the basis of 4 trips a game where he's likely getting help from a second defender? OK.....whatever.

I never said he's not the real deal. I know he is. My contention is that you're over-stating his defensive abilities, and under-stating Jordan's. You DO realize Jordan was 9-time All-Defensive selection, right? NINE TIMES!

 

[xXGadfly09Xx]

So, you're crediting him with the ability to "defend" every position on the floor on the basis of 4 trips a game where he's likely getting help from a second defender? OK.....whatever.

I never said he's not the real deal. I know he is. My contention is that you're over-stating his defensive abilities, and under-stating Jordan's. You DO realize Jordan was 9-time All-Defensive selection, right? NINE TIMES!

could jordon check AI? NOPE

could he check Barkely? NOPE

could lbj? YUP

 

[Coiled03]

could jordon check AI? NOPE

could he check Barkely? NOPE

could lbj? YUP

OK - yeah, you're delusional. I guess I should've know that by now, given your history around here.

AI would cross up LBJ the same way he did Jordan, and if you think he wouldn't, refer to my first sentence.

Carry on in your fantasy world.

 

[svquattro]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nccvDDR5P5s&feature=youtube_gdata_player

My favorite Jordan game of all time and more evidence he's the greatest of all time. Pretty sure big baby Labron would've sat this one out. Not Jordan.

 

[BTS]

I agree Jordan is the best , BUT can't hate on what Labron is and will be going for the next 5 plus years , Kobe is ok but he copied MJ , Labron is a NEW ERA and beast

 

[Jroc]

He's at least the equal of anyone else I can think of in terms of pure skill. His diabolical competitive fire, and sheer will to win are what put him over the top, IMHO.

Agreed.

Jordan IMO isn't necessarily the most talented or naturally gifted basketball player ever, but he just had something written into his brain that said I'm not losing, or playing second fiddle to anyone and that made him the best basketball player ever regardless of whether he was the most talented.

He reminds me very much of Ricky Carmichael in Motocross. While maybe not the best talent ever he was the best at his sport.

IMO Mike Tyson in his prime was the most talented Heavy Weight Boxer we've ever seen, but his dominant part of his boxing career was short lived compared to others, and when he fell off he fell off too hard to be considered the best heavy weight boxer ever even if he was the most talented ever.

could jordon check AI? NOPE

could he check Barkely? NOPE

could lbj? YUP

Lebron is the man in the NBA right now, and I don't hate on him, but Jordan was a better player. Lebrons best attribute is his natural build which is amazing as he he's strong and powerful as hell, but at the same time very athletic.

Jordan was well into his mid 30's when AI crossed him up in that one play going on the end of his career with the Bulls. And on top of that AI is arguably the fastest/quickest player ever to play in the NBA. He's the person who made the crossover popular as when he came in the NBA no one was on his leave at doing a crossover.

Lebron is strong and fast, but he's not as good at changing directions as quickly as others like AI, Jordan, Bryant, etc, and IMO if Lebron tried to guard AI in place of Jordan on the play you are talking about would of broke his ankles trying to stay in front of AI.

 

[hoamskilet]

LeBron is an amazing player and an absolute physical freak of nature, but Jordan's mental game (on top of everything else) puts him in a class all by himself

 

[spray'n mach 1]

I don't normally watch basketball now nor did I back then, but when Jordan was playing and it was on TV, I would make an exception because he was the Chuck Norris of basketball

same for me..

 

[blwn306]

Lol ok LBJ DEFENSE SUCKS! Let me say it again his DEFENSE SUCKS! Yes it's great he can run you down and block your shit but that doesn't mean he's good, he's just athletic. Guy is lazy in the half court and can't lock anybody with good speed down. I'm a lbj fan but I just can't give him all this credit! Greatness is measured by rings....last I checked guy has one and he had to team up to get it...

 

[bailey_57]

My favorite thing about MJ is how he would cut your heart out while smiling right in your face. And he never backed down in the clutch.

 

[Coiled03]

Lol ok LBJ DEFENSE SUCKS! Let me say it again his DEFENSE SUCKS!

100% false. At the minimum he's an above average defender. At best, he's borderline great.

Yes it's great he can run you down and block your shit but that doesn't mean he's good, he's just athletic. Guy is lazy in the half court and can't lock anybody with good speed down.

Also false. He's a damn good defender at his position.

I'm a lbj fan but I just can't give him all this credit! Greatness is measured by rings

False. Rings are a contributing factor, not the end all be all measure. You're 0-for-3 so far. Wanna keep going?

....last I checked guy has one and he had to team up to get it...

And? So what if he teamed up? That fad started long before he came to the league. See: Kareem Abdul Jabbar for starters. Does he not have the right to do whatever he thinks is necessary to win a ring?

 

[97samssnake]

Greatness is measured by rings....last I checked guy has one and he had to team up to get it...

I had almost forgot about all those rings Jordan won with no teammates.

 

[jpro]

I voted "no" because this is a comparison between apples and oranges. All of these great players had games that were so different. Kareem's game cannot be compared to Jordan's just as Wilt's can't be compared to Magic's. These guys were all unique, but what they all have in common is that they are all superb winners. It is impossible to say who is the "greatest" and if forced to pick a GOAT I wouldn't choose Jordan, but that's just me.

I do find it amusing that everyone on here talks about Jordan's will to win and how he cut out his opponent's heart. Everyone forgets that he failed for the first 7-8 years in the league. It didn't matter how intense or spectacular he was or how much he "wanted it", he wasn't good enough to dethrone Magic and the Lakers or Bird and the Celtics in their primes. Nothing against Jordan, because once it was "his time" he rose to the top and wasn't denied, but he had his share of failures and challenges to overcome along the way.

And I'm sorry, but those of you talking about LBJ are delusional. He is great and definitely an amazing player, but I think it is a bit premature to put him at the level of some of these other guys yet.

 

[zerocool]

I had almost forgot about all those rings Jordan won with no teammates.

This. At this late point in Wades career, he's about as good as Pippen was during the championship years, Ray Allen is Kukoc almost to a T, and the Bulls had PLENTY of great role players as well. The one wild card is Bosh who doesn't have a doppelganger on those Bulls teams.

LeBron has the natural talent to be the GOAT, but his mental game is weak compared to Jordans and I think that's what will keep Jordans title forever.

Kobe isn't in the discussion. When of the greatest, if not the greatest, coaches of all time picks Jordan over him, that's the end of it.