"Michael Jordan is not the greatest of all time" - Former NBA champion and Detroit Pistons legend firmly believes no player can be called 'the greatest of all time'
Michael Jordan is considered the greatest basketball player of all time by many fans, analysts and players. However, four-time NBA champion and former "Bad Boys" Pistons player John Salley believes Jordan is not the GOAT.
On "Pardon My Take" on Barstool Sports with Dan Katz and Eric Sollenberger, Salley explained why he believes Jordan is not the greatest of all time. Here's his explanation:
"The reason I say that Michael Jordan is not the greatest of all time is the same reason Michael says he's not the greatest of all time, because he didn't get to play against the other greats of all time."
Salley added that Jordan or any other player in the GOAT conversation cannot be considered the greatest of all time. He believes there can only be the greatest of the decade, as there are different players who have dominated different eras. Salley said:
"You can be the greatest of that decade. So in the '90s, from 1991 to 1998, well from really 1988 to 1998, Michael Jordan was the best. Period, right? But then before that, it was Magic (Johnson) and (Larry) Bird, and before that, it was Dr. J (Julius Erving). And then after Michael, was Allen Iverson and Kobe (Bryant). So, Kobe from 2000 to 2010, nobody better than Kobe."
The four-time NBA champion added that LeBron James was the best player from 2010 to 2019, but the GOAT for the 2020s is still up for debate. If Salley bets on someone being the GOAT for this decade, it would be Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks.
John Salley was an awesome guest today https://t.co/GN9W5cF1Mo
When did Michael Jordan say he's not GOAT?
As mentioned by Salley, Jordan said that he's not the greatest player of all time. When did "His Airness" reveal his take on the GOAT conversation?
In an interview with Georgetown's Hall of Fame coach John Thompson in 2003, the six-time NBA champion said that he cannot be called the GOAT. That's because he was not able to test himself against other players in different eras. Jordan said:
"False. Because I didn't play against all the great players prior to me, and those were the players that influenced my game. It's a great honor; don't get me wrong, but I'd love to play against Jerry West to determine if I was a better guard than him, or Oscar Robertson, but we will never know."
Without a doubt, Jordan was the best player of his generation. He won six NBA championships as a member of the Chicago Bulls. He also won five MVP awards and made the sport of basketball popular around the world.