Why do people think that nobody did more for basketball than Jordan?

Question

Yes, Jordan was a great player. I do not however think he was the greatest. I always hear about people saying nobody did more for the game than he did. In the late 70's the NBA was going bankrupt. The ABA already folded and interest in basketball was at an all time low. Then Magic and Bird came into the league and took it to a whole new level. With out them two the league would have folded and there would be no Jordan.
He was the most marketed and popular player ever, but that was more the league's marketing scheme than him just being a great player.
Before you say I'm ignorant or watch him play and you will see, let me tell you I have followed basketball very closely since he has been in the league.

I have a hard time putting Jordan ahead of Kareem Wilt and Bird. But he is definately top 5

Jordan is not the architect of the modern game. There are a few teams (My Warriors included) that have a furiours back and forth pace. Magic and his showtime lakers were doing that long before Jordan. If anything Jordan did bring all the flashyness to the game

Jordan did take the NBA to new heights but bottom line is the NBA was handed to him on a silver platter by MJ and Bird

Answer 1

You may have watched basketball very closely, but you don't know the game.

Despite being one of the 5 best players of all-time (and the best non-center ever), he also made more money for the league, other players and himself than anyone in the history of the game.
Do you realize the amount of money the NBA TV contracts increased by during the MJ era? They tripled, and went from late night, non sweeps programming to primetime, and televised during the middle of sweeps season.
Did you know that Magic and Larry played many of their early games were broadcast on on tape-delay or at 11-30 pm?

As for your last update, "Jordan did take the NBA to new heights but bottom line is the NBA was handed to him on a silver platter by MJ and Bird" ----
You admitted it yourself in this comment..."Jordan did take..to new heights".....

That was easy to answer.

Answer 2

I believe you make a very strong point. Magic and Bird's entrance to the league was for better for the league than anything else. After Russell and Chamberlain, interest dropped off. Basketball lost it's stature, and the Magic-Bird dual so to speak did increase league interest quite largely. But I believe it is said that Jordan has done more for several reasons. For one, it was a single player, not two. Secondly, Jordan is arguably the greatest player to ever play the game. He alone, even if for the league's marketing, was a namesake that the NBA could use, and perhaps kept the league from falling off into the same abyss of obscurity that the league was in during the 70's. So to put it frankly, sports are only as big as the fans, and no one had as many fans as Jordan.

Answer 3

Magic and Bird keep the NBA from going under. This is not opinion this is a fact. Do some research and you will find the truth young butterfly. Jordan wouldn't have had the NBA to shine in fi not for these guys. This is like saying Bill Gates is more important than the guy who invented the computer. He wouldn't have been able to do what he did without the foundation. You can say Jordan took the game to a bigger mass but you can't say he's the most important. Jordan wouldn't have ever got the torch if Bird and magic had allowed to go out. FACT not opinion.

Answer 4

I think it has a lot to do with the time Jordan came into the NBA. The game had been saved by Magic and Bird, creating one of the greatest rivalries in NBA history. But Jordan brought a popularity and flash to the game.

It started with his athleticism that even his peers had to respect. Doing things that hadn't been done for years. Doing moves that other players could only dream of. When his fellow All-Stars would watch him in awe, that helped let the public know how special he was.

The media turned him into an icon. Nike, Gatorade and other capitalized on his charisma. He created a marketing/medida empire by the way he carried himself and the business decisions he made. Nike with Marks Blackmon... Gatorade with the "Like Mike" campaigns.... Wheaties boxes. Even today, you still see the occassional Hanes commercial. He opened the door for entertainment and athletes. He helped bring the NBA to other countries.

On the court, he was determined. He carried a subpar Bulls team in the first few years. Then when he got a better supporting cast, he took them to new heights.

He was a tough defender, and of course a great offensive player. Not many could compare with his overall skills and desire to excel at the game.

He was simply the best.

Answer 5

yeah bird and magic did do alot for the game but I think most people say jordan because he cause the same amount of comotion if not more than magic and bird. But pretty much did it indivisually. Yes it was a marketing scheme but If your play doesn't excel no scheme will ever work. He also personally beat magic and bird so there is another reason why one might be him in higher esteem than those two. Last but not least the avg NBA fan arn't real enthusiast like me or you , and those type of fans loved the flash of his game with all of the comercials and dunk championships. Hey man thats just Jordan. Best player ever but personally I liked to watch Magich Johnson.

Answer 6

You're correct in the sense that magic and bird did save the nba in the 70's, but after they left there hardly was any super stars except for jordan so it was squarely on jordan to keep what magic and bird started going. and how can you say he isn't the greatest of all time. he won 6 nba titles in 8 years and those two years he didn't win he was playing baseball.

Answer 7

Jordan brings money (popularity / publicity) to the NBA.
1) start with the shoes first to wear coloured shoes in red with the Bulls red uniform
2) Jordan was the best dunker at his time along with Dominique and drawn a lot of fans
3) his 30+Million dollars contract for the 96/97 and 97/98 seasons are still records in the NBA and lead to a hike in salary for all players at a time that Scottie Pippen's old contract was around 2.25M a year, Karl Malone's 4.6M/year and John Stockton's at 6M/year

No one else would ever bring in this type of money (popularity / publicity) to basketball, the closest to do so is Yao Ming, because Yao brings in an entirly new market in China.

Answer 8

Bird and Magic did more for the flegling NBA than anybody ever has. Jordan just kept it going.

Answer 9

I think that Jordan brought an entire new audience into basketball. I mean people who never watched basketball knew who Jordan was. I will agree and say that he isn't the best of all time, but he is definitely in the top 3. And was number 2 top dunker and no one will never forget him.!!!

Answer 10

I think that Jordan brought an entire new audience into basketball. I mean people who never watched basketball knew who Jordan was. I will agree and say that he isn't the best of all time, but he is definitely in the top 3.