Grant Hill. Kobe Bryant. Vince Carter. Tracy McGrady. Lebron James. Dwayne Wade. All got pegged as the next Michael Jordan as soon as they showed a hint of greatness. Allen Iverson was the next Isaiah Thomas. Dirk Nowitzki got labeled as the next Larry Bird. Penny Hardaway got tagged as the next Magic Johnson. Before Shaun Livingston graduated from high school, he got slapped with a Next Magic tag just b/c he was tall and could dribble. Even Jordan himself was a next. He was to be the next Dr. J.
Why are fans and the media so obsessed with digging up corpses? All of the aforementioned players are great in their own rights. Jordan grew up watching Dr. J, so naturally, he influenced his game. All those other guys grew up watching Jordan. Gatorade played the Like Mike commercials so much that is was like a subliminal message. Sure Kobe pumps his fist like MJ. Yes Lebron wears 23. Of course Wade has mastered the trick shot. Jordan was who they modeled their games after. Nothing wrong with that, but it doesn't mean they have to be the Next Jordan. Each of them bring something to the table that Jordan didn't have. So, why can't they be the first them instead of the next someone else?
2006-06-18 05:50:54 · 12 answers · asked by 13 3 in Sports ➔ Basketball
It's cool to compare new greats to old greats, but when you throw the Next in there, it takes away from the accomplishments of the new guys. Kobe has 3 titles and is arguably the best player in the league, but it is overlooked b/c he hasn't done what Jordan has done. Dirk is a 7 footer with guard-like skills, but it doesn't matter b/c he hasn't done what Bird did. Lebron is a freakish combination of athleticism, power and court vision, but he doesn't do this like Magic or that like Jordan. People are so hung up on the past that they are missing the present. Jordan is dead people. Magic is dead people. Bird is dead people. Enjoy Kobe, Lebron, Wade, Iverson, KG, Duncan & Dirk. Leave the corpses in their respective front offices.
2006-06-18 06:11:32 · update #1
It provides a simple discussion device for TV commentators. It allows a framework for elaborating on specific skills. It gives tv channels an excuse to show Jordan/Magic highlights.
Beyond convenience for talking heads, I think it's pointless. As soon as someone becomes good enough to be the next Jordan, that person's name will stand on it's own.
2006-06-18 06:02:42 · answer #1 · answered by zummersweet 2 · 5⤊ 0⤋
It's the media filtering down to the fans. By comparing players to MJ the media gets fans thinking and interested, even if it isn't true. The media is strikingly good at making mountains out of molehills. People are currently comparing Dwyane Wade to the MJ even when he's smaller and doesn't have a jumper. Why? Publicity. Everyone knows who Michael Jordon is. The media wants to take advantage of that.
2006-06-18 13:13:36 · answer #2 · answered by Big Z 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I believe that alot of us identify with our stars. Doing so becomes problematic because once these stars retire and move on to another stage in their life, a void in ourselves is left open. This hole attempts to fill itself by likening similar players to former ones.
On another note, the human mind tends to group things together to remember it easier. This is the exact same reason why there is a dash between the first 3 digits of a phone number and the last 4. If you ask anyone off the bat with no prior knowledge of this conversation what the color of a basketball is, most if not all will respond orange. As we all know, basketball could come in any color but people identify it as being orange because of the need to group things together. (Note: the whole basketball arguement was not something I created but a friend's.)
2006-06-18 06:06:28 · answer #3 · answered by mike b 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because these guys are the standards from the last generation. Jordan will always be the golden standard for everyone, but I think in general, these comparisons will be made on a generational basis.
When all of the current guys retire, they'll be comparisons made to them for the next generation. Comparisons are made so you can measure the scope that their greatness can become, not because their skills are perfectly identical.
2006-06-18 07:30:06 · answer #4 · answered by Ryan E 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Those great players you named all became benchmarks in the sport of basketball due to their performances in their time. We like to compare new generation players to those greats because it lets us get a better perspective when we say how good a player will become.
If someone like Lebron surpasses someone like Jordan in stats, championships, etc, then we will have another benchmark to which we can compare future players.
2006-06-18 05:57:14 · answer #5 · answered by SADFHorde 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because Jordan, Magic, and Bird are the tier we judge "The Best" at.
2006-06-18 05:53:44 · answer #6 · answered by Shep 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
T-Mac is the next jordan, matter of fact he is the present jordan of our time. Did you see him at the all star game?
2006-06-18 07:50:16 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's for the sake of comparison to someone whose ability is identifiable or known.
2006-06-18 05:53:40 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
They where the best of all the NBA players ever
2006-06-18 05:53:07 · answer #9 · answered by J-Kidd "07" 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
there were the best basketball players in the world
2006-06-18 06:18:46 · answer #10 · answered by SHut YO Big HeAd Up 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋