MJ on who would be effective in his era

[stretch]

JORDAN PLAYS his new favorite trivia game, asking which current players could be nearly as successful in his era. "Our era," he says over and over again, calling modern players soft, coddled and ill-prepared for the highest level of the game. This is personal to him, since he'll be compared to this generation, and since he has to build a franchise with this generation's players.

"I'll give you a hint," he says. "I can only come up with four."

He lists them: LeBron, Kobe, Tim Duncan, Dirk Nowitzki. As he's making his point, Yvette walks into the living room area and, in a tone of voice familiar to every husband who argues sports with his buddies, asks, "You guys need anything?"

http://espn.go.com/espn/story/_/page/Michael-Jordan/michael-jordan-not-left-building

pretty good company, imo.

[dunkman]

KG?

[jeebus]

KG?

Why would he add that little bitch?

[Drachen]

KG?
No because he would have tried his BS against the (pick any team) and they would have sent their Charles Oakley to go kill him.

I dont mean beat him on the court either.

Shit since he only goes after guys who are 6'2'' and under Stockton or Thomas would have taken him out. Fuck, Jeff van Gundy would have danced with him.

[Clipper Nation]

MJ's delusional for leaving off CP3... Isiah's Pistons beat Jordan's Bulls several times in the playoffs and won championships, and CP3 is better than Isiah was, so how would CP3 not be successful in the '90s?

[Drachen]

MJ's delusional for leaving off CP3... Isiah's Pistons beat Jordan's Bulls several times in the playoffs and won championships, and CP3 is better than Isiah was, so how would CP3 not be successful in the '90s?

I believe the term soft was in the OP.

[Jumi]

Damn, that was a good read!

[Raven]

MJ's delusional for leaving off CP3... Isiah's Pistons beat Jordan's Bulls several times in the playoffs and won championships, and CP3 is better than Isiah was, so how would CP3 not be successful in the '90s?

i seriously can't understand how can you compare the biggest flopper of the league to the biggest badass the pg position has ever seen..

[Ashy Larry]

plus that flopping bullshit Paul does might get a forearm to the face .........

[Jt.ONE]

MJ's delusional for leaving off CP3... Isiah's Pistons beat Jordan's Bulls several times in the playoffs and won championships, and CP3 is better than Isiah was, so how would CP3 not be successful in the '90s?

the bads

[Clipper Nation]

i seriously can't understand how can you compare the biggest flopper of the league to the biggest badass the pg position has ever seen..
I didn't compare Durant to CP3, tbh... :lol

Seriously, though, just look at the stats... their career assists per game are equal, and Isiah scored slightly more points per game, but CP3's averaged more steals per game, less turnovers per game, a better FG%, eFG%, and TS%, his career assist percentage is higher than Isiah's, his career defensive rating is better than Isiah's, and his career offensive rating blows Isiah's out of the water....

[lefty]

MJ's delusional for leaving off CP3... Isiah's Pistons beat Jordan's Bulls several times in the playoffs and won championships, and CP3 is better than Isiah was, so how would CP3 not be successful in the '90s?
:rollin

[Mel_13]

MJ's delusional for leaving off CP3... Isiah's Pistons beat Jordan's Bulls several times in the playoffs and won championships, and CP3 is better than Isiah was, so how would CP3 not be successful in the '90s?

You're starting to reach thunderfan levels of homerism. First off, the standard that MJ used was 'which current players could be nearly as successful in his era', so there was no suggestion that CP3 couldn't be successful in the 90s. Just that he wouldn't have been as successful in that era as he is today.

Second, it's no insult to CP3 that he's not a member of the same club as LeBron, Kobe, Duncan, and Dirk. Those players all have rings, regular season MVPs, Finals MVPs, and multiple trips to the finals. CP3 has none of that hardware and has never played in a conference final, let alone the NBA Finals.

CP3 has some personal and team accomplishments to achieve before he can be included in the same breath with the 4 players mentioned by MJ in the article.

[AaronY]

You're starting to reach thunderfan levels of homerism. First off, the standard that MJ used was 'which current players could be nearly as successful in his era', so there was no suggestion that CP3 couldn't be successful in the 90s. Just that he wouldn't have been as successful in that era as he is today.

Second, it's no insult to CP3 that he's not a member of the same club as LeBron, Kobe, Duncan, and Dirk. Those players all have rings, regular season MVPs, Finals MVPs, and multiple trips to the finals. CP3 has none of that hardware and has never played in a conference final, let alone the NBA Finals.

CP3 has some personal and team accomplishments to achieve before he can be included in the same breath with the 4 players mentioned by MJ in the article.
Dick slapped

[whitemamba]

MJ's delusional for leaving off CP3... Isiah's Pistons beat Jordan's Bulls several times in the playoffs and won championships, and CP3 is better than Isiah was, so how would CP3 not be successful in the '90s?

lmao @ THIS . as of now, there is no comparison between isiah and cpFlop. just beause he beat jordan and won proves how good he was. its not even worth talking about until Flop makes some noise in the playoffs, which he has never done

[Raven]

I didn't compare Durant to CP3, tbh... :lol

Seriously, though, just look at the stats... their career assists per game are equal, and Isiah scored slightly more points per game, but CP3's averaged more steals per game, less turnovers per game, a better FG%, eFG%, and TS%, his career assist percentage is higher than Isiah's, his career defensive rating is better than Isiah's, and his career offensive rating blows Isiah's out of the water....

very convenient to compare career averages between a retired player and a player in his prime :lol
i don't recall cp3 havin 13+assist seasons and that was when pg were at a huge disadvantage compared to today when they can attack the rim consistently..

[Clipper Nation]

Lots of people in here doing the usual conflating of team playoff success with individual greatness.... I never said CP3 was more accomplished or has had a better career than Isiah so far, but the statistics show that his production has been better than Isiah's.... besides, Jordan was talking about who would be effective in the '90s, not who would win the most rings...

Put CP3 on the Bad Boy Pistons of old and he'd probably have a couple rings too... instead, he spent most of his career with mediocre supporting casts in NOLA with no chance of winning a title in a stacked West....

[Mel_13]

Lots of people in here doing the usual conflating of team playoff success with individual greatness.... I never said CP3 was more accomplished or has had a better career than Isiah so far, but the statistics show that his production has been better than Isiah's.... besides, Jordan was talking about who would be effective in the '90s, not who would win the most rings...

1. Once again, he was naming players that he believes would have been nearly as successful in the 90s as they are today. You're the one who keeps trying to change the framework of MJs list.

2. It's MJ's list. How do you know that team success isn't a component of his analysis. Given the recent '5>1' comment it seems very likely that it is.

3. Even if you only consider personal success, CP3 has a ways to go to reach the level of the 4 players named.

[Raven]

Lots of people in here doing the usual conflating of team playoff success with individual greatness.... I never said CP3 was more accomplished or has had a better career than Isiah so far, but the statistics show that his production has been better than Isiah's.... besides, Jordan was talking about who would be effective in the '90s, not who would win the most rings...

Put CP3 on the Bad Boy Pistons of old and he'd probably have a couple rings too... instead, he spent most of his career with mediocre supporting casts in NOLA with no chance of winning a title in a stacked West....

the point is, cp3 is the epitome of the player who would not be nearly as productive in that age. Another is Derrick rose.. Rose could not go to the rim nearly as effectively while cp3 is way to soft for that age..

[z0sa]

You're starting to reach thunderfan levels of homerism. First off, the standard that MJ used was 'which current players could be nearly as successful in his era', so there was no suggestion that CP3 couldn't be successful in the 90s. Just that he wouldn't have been as successful in that era as he is today.

Second, it's no insult to CP3 that he's not a member of the same club as LeBron, Kobe, Duncan, and Dirk. Those players all have rings, regular season MVPs, Finals MVPs, and multiple trips to the finals. CP3 has none of that hardware and has never played in a conference final, let alone the NBA Finals.

CP3 has some personal and team accomplishments to achieve before he can be included in the same breath with the 4 players mentioned by MJ in the article.

Mel with it.

[Clipper Nation]

the point is, cp3 is the epitome of the player who would not be nearly as productive in that age.
What statistical basis are you going by here? What magical ability does he have that didn't exist in the '90s? :lol

[whitemamba]

im a dumbass

fify

[Raven]

What statistical basis are you going by here? What magical ability does he have that didn't exist in the '90s? :lol

you didn't get ft for flopping?

[ambchang]

Almost makes me feel bad for MJ if he wasn't such a giant douche.

While the read is overly sappy, it does try to shed a normal light on MJ.

[ffadicted]

Clipper Nation going full retard in this thread... you know you never go full retard...

[Mel_13]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Y3FzVQi-R8

[Clipper Nation]

I'll admit that I definitely didn't phrase my argument clearly enough at all and made it sound like CP3's career was more accomplished, which WOULD be a retarded take, tbh.... my point was that since a player like Isiah was so effective in Jordan's era, surely a star point guard in the modern era who's statistically better would at least be just as effective....

So yeah, calling CP3 the better player without qualifying it by saying he's statistically better (i.e. setting aside the resume) was full retard on my part, my bad... :lol

[benstanfield]

Why the fuck do we care what MJ thinks about current players????


Check out the Bobcats to see how much MJ knows about eyeballing talent.

[fevertrees]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0IV6DBKOog

[AaronY]

tbh everyone was high on Kwame Brown at the time.

If the Wizards hadn't drafted him he would have went 2nd

[Drachen]

The problem with your argument is that you are equating both eras which is kinda the point to the whole question

[midnightpulp]

I don't know about CP3 being better than Isiah (FWIW, Jerry West felt Joe Dumars was the better player), but CP3 would absolutely be a great player in the late 80s and 90s. CP3's game is quite similar to John Stockton's, who we all know was the most successful PG after Magic. They even share the negative attributes people associate with their games (flopping, whining, sneaky, etc).

[Clipper Nation]

Btw, flopping was introduced to the league in the Jordan era thanks to guys like Laimbeer, Divac, and Oakley...

[LkrFan]

What about Wade MJ? :cry

:lol

[LkrFan]

MJ's delusional for leaving off CP3... Isiah's Pistons beat Jordan's Bulls several times in the playoffs and won championships, and CP3 is better than Isiah was, so how would CP3 not be successful in the '90s?
:rolleyes

Zeke >>>>>> Chris Fall. It's not even close. Zeke would DOMINATE Chris Fall in any era.

[Sean Cagney]

MJ's delusional for leaving off CP3... Isiah's Pistons beat Jordan's Bulls several times in the playoffs and won championships, and CP3 is better than Isiah was, so how would CP3 not be successful in the '90s?No I am sure he would be on the floor whining and pouting the whole damn game or flopping. I am sure little whiney face would not make it.

I think he could play in any era btw., but better than Zeke? I don't know about all that.

[midnightpulp]

:lol

Wade would be solid, too. I see a lot of Kevin Johnson in Wade.

[TDMVPDPOY]

Wade would be solid, too. I see a lot of Kevin Johnson in Wade.

too injury prone man...

[LkrFan]

Wade would be solid, too. I see a lot of Kevin Johnson in Wade.
Wade would be solid, but not a superstar. Think 16/6 type player. Joe D, MJ, and Pippen would all lock him down. Rodman and the Bad Boys would make him cry (literally). Anybody that needs a wheelchair for a shoulder injury is not made for the '80s NBA tbh. :lol

[FuzzyLumpkins]

:rolleyes

Zeke >>>>>> Chris Fall. It's not even close. Zeke would DOMINATE Chris Fall in any era.

I don't really give a shit about that. I just wonder what would happen if Matt Barnes had tried his shit against the 90's Knicks or Pistons. Jon Starks, Charles Oakley, Dennis Rodman and Bill Laimbeer would have gone Kermit Washington.

[Fabbs]

Anyone notice how yellow the "whites" of Jordans eyes were during the interview?

[Koolaid_Man]

I'll admit that I definitely didn't phrase my argument clearly enough at all and made it sound like CP3's career was more accomplished, which WOULD be a retarded take, tbh.... my point was that since a player like Isiah was so effective in Jordan's era, surely a star point guard in the modern era who's statistically better would at least be just as effective....

So yeah, calling CP3 the better player without qualifying it by saying he's statistically better (i.e. setting aside the resume) was full retard on my part, my bad... :lol

^ :lmao:lmao:lmao:lmao:lmao @ the justification for going maximum overload on full retard....:toast

[Latarian Milton]

MJ's delusional for leaving off CP3... Isiah's Pistons beat Jordan's Bulls several times in the playoffs and won championships, and CP3 is better than Isiah was, so how would CP3 not be successful in the '90s?
doubt you would've said the same had CP3 not joined your team tbh. nigga played like an ass in his last years in new orleans before joining monkeyball and the real great players will never give up on their teams no matter how bad their teams suck. little fag played blithely for the hornets in his final years and made it obivous that he wanted to move out, but the true legends like dirk never bitched about the lack of talents around him and the inactivity of his team's FO

[TDfan2007]

That was one of the best articles I've ever read. The same fire that made MJ great is slowly consuming him in all the wrong ways now that he's lost his primary outlet. I agree with MJ on that list, and his analysis of Lebron's left or right decision-making was spot-on. Guy's still a basketball genius in-game.

[spurraider21]

article dragged and was really wordy. anyway, i'm done listening to MJ's talent evaluations. sure, im "glad" he mentioned duncan, but thats a given so it isn't truly a complement. MJ left out a lot of guys that would have been just fine in any era like Wade, Paul, Pierce, Artest, etc

[TDMVPDPOY]

article dragged and was really wordy. anyway, i'm done listening to MJ's talent evaluations. sure, im "glad" he mentioned duncan, but thats a given so it isn't truly a complement. MJ left out a lot of guys that would have been just fine in any era like Wade, Paul, Pierce, Artest, etc

jordans era, especialy the mid90s-00, plenty of shit players and alot of franchise players on their last legs starting to coat ride together or accepting lesser roles....theres a few current players who played during the 90s, while current generation is lacking something....

[ambchang]

I actually think most perimeter players in today's game would suffer somewhat during the Jordan era. The league has changed to accommodate perimeter players, and it really isn't that much of a stretch to say that they would not be as successful back in the day.

I personally would say out of all the superstars, wade would likely suffer the most.

[TDfan2007]

I actually think most perimeter players in today's game would suffer somewhat during the Jordan era. The league has changed to accommodate perimeter players, and it really isn't that much of a stretch to say that they would not be as successful back in the day.

I personally would say out of all the superstars, wade would likely suffer the most.

Durant too.

[TDMVPDPOY]

ATL prime players would be sweet to watch....

[Latarian Milton]

I actually think most perimeter players in today's game would suffer somewhat during the Jordan era. The league has changed to accommodate perimeter players, and it really isn't that much of a stretch to say that they would not be as successful back in the day.

I personally would say out of all the superstars, wade would likely suffer the most.

dont see how wade would suffer more than the likes of, say durant who's obviously too skinny for the 80s games. 80s refs wouldn't hand them food stamps so the 06' wade and today's durant would probably suffer the most, but the current version of wade would work out just fine imho. nigga has built some muscles and won't fear no one going 1on1 at the perimeter or the low post tbh

[TDMVPDPOY]

i dunno how durant would suffer in the 90s, he probably wont get the calls bailouts, he could still get his offensively...

[monosylab1k]

:lol Dirk on the list, not Garnett
:cry Jordan is just a Mav Krew suckup

[TDfan2007]

:lol Dirk on the list, not Garnett
:cry Jordan is just a Mav Krew suckup

There's a video accompanying the article where the writer expands the list to include KG. He says that Michael really likes KG's game.

[TDMVPDPOY]

isnt cp3 a over glorified tim hardaway?

[LkrFan]

Anyone notice how yellow the "whites" of Jordans eyes were during the interview?
No, but I noticed he did not mention TD - "GOAT PF" :lol

:stirpot:

[ambchang]

dont see how wade would suffer more than the likes of, say durant who's obviously too skinny for the 80s games. 80s refs wouldn't hand them food stamps so the 06' wade and today's durant would probably suffer the most, but the current version of wade would work out just fine imho. nigga has built some muscles and won't fear no one going 1on1 at the perimeter or the low post tbh

It wasn't really about muscles or skinny, but more about the style. Wade relies heavily on the first step and the lack of hand checks allows him to just be unstoppable with it. Skinny dudes like miller or gervin did well in the old days because they are great outside/midrange shooters and fantastic off the ball.

Wade would still be a good player, All nba 3rd team good. But I don't really see him as championship leading and MVP candidate good.

[TDMVPDPOY]

:lol Dirk on the list, not Garnett
:cry Jordan is just a Mav Krew suckup

didnt select KG, cause theres no midget euro white boys for him to clown on

[racm]

Game recognize game tbh