With “His Airness” turning the big 5-0 over weekend, the NBA All-Star Game news ran wild with stories comparing the great Michael Jordan to current NBA greats LeBron James and Kobe Bryant. Fans and pundits alike debated who deserves the title as “Greatest Basketball Player of All Time.”
Jordan is the de facto answer when discussing the G.O.A.T., and for good reason. Jordan is the all-time leader in highest career points per game average with 30.1 (just edging out Wilt Chamberlain by a few hundredths of a point), holds the career records for most scoring titles (10), most All-Defensive First-Team selections (9), most NBA Finals MVP Awards (6), highest playoffs average (33.4) amongst others. Of course Bryant and James both have countless records of their own and will undoubtedly set more throughout their storied NBA careers, but for my buck, the only name that belongs in the discussion besides Jordan’s is Chamberlain’s.
Chamberlain’s numbers are so gaudy and people simply ignore them. Even though he played with great contemporary big men such as Bill Russell, Bob Pettit and Willis Reed, “The Stilt’s” numbers surpass them all. His career averages of 30.1 points and 22.9 rebounds are remarkable. His single season average of 50.4 points and single game tally of 100 points are records that may never be broken. Had the league kept track of stats such as blocks and steals, Chamberlain would have more ridiculous numbers for his resume.
In arguments for the ages, numbers never tell the full story though. When judging the best, numbers start the conversation but you don’t need a Ph.D. to understand it’s all about eyes and peers when sorting out the best of the best. During his peak, Chamberlain had Russell fighting him for the top spot. Bryant was brilliant, but there were always worthwhile disputes to his throne, Shaquille O’Neal and Tim Duncan to name a few. For all his greatness, Bryant has only earned one MVP award.
What about James? While he’s generally regarded as the best in the league, some will still argue that Bryant still deserves the crown. Kevin Durant, a four-time defending scoring champ, is fast on his heels too. James is the popular choice as best, but not the undisputed.
When Jordan was in his prime, there was no question as to who was the best. Any conversation started and ended with Jordan. Though all-time greats like Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and Isaiah Thomas shared the court with #23, there was no dispute as to who was the alpha dog. Jordan’s five MVP awards could easily have been eight or nine, if the voters hadn’t gotten tired of voting for the same guy. Speaking of bored, Jordan was so dominant in the league, he retired in his prime because he felt there was no competition left. He then came back and did it all over again.
Talent-wise, there’s not much separating the greatest players in the league. Jordan’s edge was his competitive nature. He didn’t just refuse to be defeated during his prime, he refused to even allow the conversation. Bryant and James will end their careers as all-time greats but they don’t compare to the greatest. Nobody does.
