"I agree you said a lot of great factors but then I go back to Michael Jordan" - Former NBA player offers his take on the never-ending GOAT debate
Former Chicago Bulls superstar Michael Jordan is widely considered the greatest player of all time. But the debate seems never-ending as LeBron James makes a strong case for being the best.
On the podcast "Point Forward," four-time NBA champion Andre Iguodala and co-host Evan Turner spoke about the debate. However, Turner, a former NBA player and former assistant coach of the Boston Celtics, believes that Jordan is the undisputed greatest player of all time.
"So sometimes we leave out, we'll do a number one and number two ranking, and we don't show how high up number one might be. Because at the end of the day, when it comes down to it, I agree you said a lot of great factors, but then I go back to Michael Jeffery Jordan. I don't care how competitive you are, I'm talking about how great he is," Turner said.
Michael Jordan's competitive nature has often defined the difference between him and everyone else. The stories about MJ and his competitiveness in everything he does translate to the court. He thoroughly dominated the NBA in the '90s.
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Harrison, a long-time Nike legend and current Mavs GM, clears th air on the infamous Steph/Swoosh presentation...and drops a whole bag of gems.
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Is Michael Jordan the undisputed GOAT?
When it comes down to the conversation of the greatest player of all time, it is pretty clear that it comes down to only two players: LeBron James and Michael Jordan. James came into the league in 2003 as the self-anointed "Chosen One" and the heir to Jordan's throne. He decided to wear the #23 jersey.
The Chicago Bulls superstar came into the league as the third overall pick in the 1984 NBA Draft. He went after the rest of the league, determined to prove that he was the best player in the world. This determination led to him breaking records and winning individual accolades throughout the 1980s. However, an NBA championship continued to elude him until he had help.
@shigoatraki @TCBScans Michael Jordan's stats in all of his finals combined:
33.6 PPG
6.0 RPG
6.0 APG
1.8 STL
.7 BLK
48/37/81
6-0 in the finals
GOAT https://t.co/fwhC0qb18C
MJ's scoring abilities and the insatiable thirst to dominate the opposition separated him from the competition. These qualities gave him the edge in the GOAT debate.
While LeBron is a better passer and improves his teammates. MJ was the better scorer, averaging over 30 points in his career en route to winning 10 scoring titles during his illustrious career. MJ also plays better defense and has won the Defensive Player of the Year award.
Michael Jordan scored 759 points during the 1992 playoffs, the most in a single postseason in NBA history.
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Comparing eras is difficult because of the different rules and the difference in the way the game was played. These differences mean that comparisons between Jordan and James can sometimes prove impossible. The pair also never got to play against each other, making it harder to determine the better player.
The GOAT conversation will probably stand the test of time. Calling Michael Jordan the undisputed GOAT isn't entirely unfounded, especially when you've got the numbers to back it up.