If this is based on overall success (including 2 gold metals + 6 NBA championshps [could have been 8!], 10-time scoring championships, 1988 defensive player of the year, NBA all-defense first team 1987-1993, 1996-1998, 3X NBA All-Star MVP, the first player with a triple-double in all-star game, THE best regular season record of all-time [Chicago Bulls, 72-10] in 1996, 6X NBA finals MVP, 4X NBA regular season MVP, the first player over age 40 to score 40+ points in a game), then Michael Jordan is THE best there is, THE best there was, & THE best there will ever been.
2007-02-10 06:27:12 · 14 answers · asked by Tony Rave 2 in Sports ➔ Basketball
100% true. No man has ever dominated the game at the time he was playing like he did. He had 10 NBA scoring titles, 5 MVP awards, has the record for career ppg at 30.1, won rookie of the year, defensive player of the year, 14 time NBA all star, 11 time all NBA, 10 times first team, one time second, 6 MVP of NBA finals awards. This guy was a visionary to basketball and nobody will ever be near as good as MJ.
2007-02-10 06:40:34 · answer #1 · answered by wink91wink 2 · 3⤊ 1⤋
I'd have to agree. It's hard to compare players from other eras and even positions, but one could make the case for Wilt Chamberlain.
He certainly was the most dominant individual player imo, but he didn't experience team success. That's a rough knock against him since hoops is a team sport, but you can't eliminate championship success as a factor in considering who is the greatest.
So yes, MJ is the greatest so far imo. And I didn't even like MJ during most of his career, only coming to acknowledge and appreciate his greatness toward the end.
Some people like to argue that Kobe will eclipse MJ, but I don't see that happening. He's not on track now with his stats and he blew his ring chances by being a little primadonna with Shaq.
Matter of fact, in a few years I don't even think there will be an argument that Kobe is the best in the game NOW, let alone of all time.
2007-02-10 06:35:26 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Neither. Its argueble.
Like was said previously, Wilt Chamberlain has number Jordan never could touch. 50 pts per game. 22 rebounds per game for a career! He even lead the league in total assists a year. He was so dominant, the league imposed rules to make it imposible for him to dominate like he did. No jumping at the free throw line, because he could dunk from there standing still. Widen the lane. 3 seconds. NO player dominated like he did. And we're talk best player, not best player to win championships. Otherwise we could go Bill Russell.
Anyone remember a guy by the name of Oscar Robertson? Just averaged 25.7 pts, 7.5 boards, and 9.5 assists over a career, averaged a triple double one season and came within one rebouard or assist of it 4 other times. Excellent defender and did it all on the court.
And as for team accomplishments, have another top 50 player of all time during his prime helps.
And in respect to contemporaries, who was the second best guard in the league when he was winning championships? Magic, Bird, and Thomas were in decline. As a matter of fact, he WAS basketball in the mid to late 90's, because big men ruled (Olajuwan, Robinson, Ewing, Shaq, Malone) and guard play was no longer emphasized. Best way I can put it is that there was no Kobe, McGrady, Wade, Lebron, Carter, Allen, Iverson's to go through.
Jordan is great, maybe the greatest, and certainly the most hyped, talked about, and advertised, but in a strict basketball sense, you have others who deserve mention. (Magic Johnson, Kareem, Elgin Baylor, and LeBron's and Kobe's name will be on this list at their respective carrer's end) Lets see him win 72 games now with the Spurs, Mavs, Pistons, and Suns. or when Showtime, the Bad Boys and Bird Celts were in full effect.
Final Verdict is his Status as the Man of Basketball, from the comercials, to the buzzer beaters, to championships, to the lean, to the shoes, is cemented. But all those other things do not make him a better ball player. And their have been too many great ones to declare him the best. Besides, it take a team to win games.
2007-02-10 08:31:31 · answer #3 · answered by Matt B 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
false MJ is the greatest basketball player for the last 20-30 years but u have player that were way better than mj. wilt Bill Russell Oscar Robertson a case can be made for any of these player to be the greatest player. their will never be a player who the greatest in any sport period. and here my reason rule change so the game change. and secondly weere tend to beleive someone is the greatest when they r in our time period.
how many rule where changed cause of mj??? none wilt
During his career, his dominance precipitated many rules changes. These rules changed included widening the lane, instituting offensive goaltending and revising rules governing inbounding the ball and shooting free throws (Chamberlain would leap with the ball from behind the foul line to deposit the ball in the basket).
name one area mj dominated?? scoring that about it wilt rebound assist scoring
The record books are indeed heavy with Chamberlain's accomplishments. He was the only NBA player to score 4,000 points in a season. He set NBA single-game records for most points (100), most consecutive field goals (18) and most rebounds (55). Perhaps his most mind-boggling stat was the 50.4 points per game he averaged during the 1961-62 season--and if not that, then perhaps the 48.5 minutes per game he averaged that same
come on and i could also make case for a few other players
2007-02-14 05:16:31 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
True. MJ was an unbeleveble scorer and defender. The number dont lie. He was an all around player. he won 6 championships in doing so. In his team rules favored the defender and he still manage to put up points.
2007-02-10 06:39:04 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
I would say true. He had a great supporting cast but he was the greatest player to watch and he is single handedly accountable for making the nba what it is today. Its kinda like what tiger is doing to golf. Who watched golf before tiger, no one.
2007-02-10 07:46:21 · answer #6 · answered by xlichamps 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Yes...6 NBA titles...Enough said...The only way LeBron will get one is if Jordan sends one to him...I hate the people who already assume LeBron is...and I think Kobe is better than LeBron for that matter...
2007-02-10 07:41:00 · answer #7 · answered by Terry C. 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
true and false
best there was but there is bound to be a better player come along and bread his records
2007-02-10 06:55:15 · answer #8 · answered by camijo17 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yeah, he is. Now that that's settled, I just have to find a way to get people to stop comparing him to Kobe Bryant. Kobe's name doesn't even deserve to be in the same sentence with Michael's..............oops! Sorry, Michael!
2007-02-10 06:46:44 · answer #9 · answered by Nikki 4 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Without a doubt.
He is the greatest we have yet to see.
2007-02-10 06:34:09 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋