Found Ghazi's brother.
Hi spurstalkers, when jordan retired the first time to go play baseball were people calling him the best ever, if not where were they placing him. I was too young then to know what was going on and i always wanted to know from older basketball fans.
He was Top 3 (between him, Russell and Jabbar) depending where you were in the country... he made his case for GOAT during 1996-1998.
His name was already in the conversation by the 2nd championship against Portland and the '92 Olympics. It was cemented after the 72 win season + championship in 95-96.
From the June 28, 1993 issue of SI:
Is Michael Jeffery Jordan simply the best basketball player in the history of the planet? No matter what you think of Jordan as person, as a role model, as a shoe salesman, or even as a high-stakes gambler, you know the answer to that question: yes. A resounding yes.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vau...e=reader_vault
I remember in interviews he basically said he accomplished as much as he could after the first retirement. Basically he was getting bored kicking everyone's ass and wanted to try something new.
no. bird and magic were considered the best at the time.
MiamiHeat?
And it was either voluntary retirement, or, the Super Jew ratting him out over his gambling.
ing super Jews
Hasn't been a player like Jordan before and not one since. Kobe might come close but he's not the player that MJ was. MJ has ice in his veins. Dude could kill you so many different ways. Dude could make buckets in his sleep with his eyes closed.
damn, that Jordan video brings back memories. Before the pussification of the league.
I'd say after his 3rd championship he was the best ever arguably.
Once he came back and got that 4th ship, he was clearly the best ever.
Gotta give Kobe his props though...not as clutch as Jordan but still crazy athleticism.
MJ was already the GOAT after his first 3-peat
then he took almost 2 years off to play baseball...
then comes back, and once again wins another 3-peat, even though he was questioned as being "old" and past his prime.
he could no longer do the amazing highlight reels like he used to, but he transformed his game into a "new michael Jordan" for the 2nd 3-peat... a guy who depended on amazing defense and a patented fadeaway jumpshot which was unstoppable.
you kids really missed out on MJ.
BUT, luckily, the 1990's had a TON of media coverage, so a ton of MJ games can be seen in their entirety if you look for them.
oh, and yeah, kobe is athletic, and has a determined head on his shoulders, but his career has largely been pathetic in a lot of peoples eyes.
he won't admit he copied MJ to the extreme, his obsession with MJ, and copying EVERYTHING even off-the court stuff.
you guys saw that Kobe Bryant mini-do entary before Game 1 of the Finals the other day? they talked about him spending hours and hours and hours studying film and copying moves,
but then he BLATANTLY lies to everyone and tries to deny his MJ biting. sad
Kobe is not a legend like Mj, kareem, bird, or Magic. kobe has no history of his own, he brings nothing new to the nba, nothing revolutionary, no game of his own to speak of. he's just a talented copycat who is not good enough.
He wasn't the GOAT before he retired, but as others have said, definitely Top 5.
He was definitely in the conversation and many if not most people would have considered him the best by then already. But I'm sure there were some that still questioned whether he was the GOAT, compared to Russell, Wilt, Kareem. But he certainly cemented things with his second threepeat. He may already have been considered the GOAT after the first threepeat, but it may have not been a unanimous type of sentiment.
He was extremely fortunate to have Pippen as his voluntary lackey. Pippen was at sublime prime during this 3+3/6 year run. He didn't mind cowtowing to Jordan. Without Pippen Jordan is ringless and Kobe Bryant is like God.
I said it before and I'll say it again:
Jordan without Pippen (5 seasons):
.430 win %
0 les
0 MVPs
0 Finals MVP
0 Finals appearances
0 Playoff series wins
1-9 playoff record
0 NBA All Defense Team
0 NBA Defensive Player of the year
Kobe without Shaq (6 seasons):
.611 win %
3 Finals appearances
2 Championships
1 MVP (Reg season)
2 MVP (Finals)
5 NBA All Defense 1st Team
81 points in 1 game
62 points in 3 quarters (outscored Mavs all by himself)
4 straight 50+ pt games
30 straight 40+ games averaged 40 for a month
Pippen held back his game for MJ....Pippen could have lead teams had he not got all warm and cozy under MJ's testicles....
You talk about Kobe without Shaq but forget about Kobe without Pau or Shaq
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