I have a different perspective. Sure he was one of the most amazing athletes ever. And we are blessed to be able to witness his greatness. However, his style inspired a whole generation of individualistic, highlight oriented basketball. Every young kid wanted to be like Mike. I think Jordan was the one who coined the term "supporting cast" on his teammates, as if the sole purpose of his teammates' existence was to set the stage for his show. The beauty of fluid flowing team play in the 80s exemplified by Magic's Lakers and Bird's Celtics were gone in the 90s. Kobe Bryant is the poster boy of the Jordan legacy.
The Bulls had plenty of fluid flowing team play. MJ only averaged 30 point/game for his career, not 40 or 50. If you look at the teams the Bulls beat during their heyday, all of them were "teams" in every sense of the word. Nothing had disappeared from the Magic/Bird era. Of their finals victims Sonics, Blazers, Suns and Jazz, along with Eastern Conference rivals Pacers, Cavs and Knicks, none of them were individualistic and selfish. As far as what MJ's legacy inspired in later years, you may be on to something. But players like Kobe don't represent what MJ was all about, which was just winning. Kobe is in a class by himself.
I grew up watching MJ as a little tweener and I remember the first time I ever picked up a basketball was because I wanted to be just like him. I was one of those kids who yelled "MJ!" or "Jordan!" after every shot (that I inevitably clanked). I do see where you statement could be true, at least with me. I never liked passing the ball until I hit my college years and realized that I won't stay fast forever and my body started aching when I do the stuff I used to do as a kid. Back to the video: it just doesn't feel right without a foul-language rap music in the background
please, anyone can make a highlight video if all you put in there is the few great moves he's ever done.
Maybe the true test is for someone to make a highlight reel of themselves... mine would last about 10 seconds.
Funny this is the first reply to this thread because it is exactly what I was thinking while watching this. The other thing that stuck out was how quickly he elevated. He would go from dribbling to throwing it down before the defender even gathered himself to contest the shot. I guess I was too young during MJ's prime to appreciate that part of his athleticism. I really don't believe we have seen another guy with the total package physically like MJ had. Of course his mental edge is what makes him the best ever but I still think his overall physical ability is unmatched by anyone before or after him. Some guys have his hops, some guys have his quickness, some guys have his strength and some guys have his hands but no one player has ever had all of that since MJ.
When you talk about this, I think you also have to consider synergistic effect of the rise of ESPN in this. If Dr. J and Connie Hawkins have ESPN doing highlight shows in the 1970's showing all of their sick dunks we might be talking about how they ruined the game.
There is only one problem with this : the Lakers and Celtics of that era were loaded with stud players. Several All-Stars. Jordan basically had himself and Pippen. It's easy to play "team ball" when the rest of your team are awesome offensive weapons, but when you're stuck with Bill Cartwright or Charles Oakley, it starts getting to be a bit difficult. Hell even the Spurs have 3 or 4 guys that can be gone to on offense. And I sure am not going to criticize MJ for what others turned the league into - he turned his skills into ring after ring after ring and that's the ultimate goal in the NBA. Kobe isn't the team player MJ turned into. Vince Carter doesn't have the heart or defense he does. TMac sadly doesn't have the determination or killer instinct - or at least only shows it sporadically. Lebron hasn't figured out how to take over a game (yet). Every pretender to the throne is missing one thing or another. MJ turned out to be the ultimate everything player... defense, offense, will, intelligence, work-ethic, etc. - the man had no weaknesses, and that's going to be hard to duplicate.
I am not saying that it's Jordan's fault that he is so great. If there is anybody's fault, it's the NBA trying to promote Jordan greatness as an individual rather than promote basketball as a team sport. I understand the appeal. But it makes basketball become a lot more individualistic than before Jordan's rise.
That's exactly what I am talking about. I don't blame Jordan for his greatness. The irony is, his greatness almost rendered balanced team talent irrelevant. Ever since the Jordan era, almost every team has been trying to follow the formula of one super duper star with a super sidekick and a bunch of "supporting cast." The only exception is the Detroit team a few years ago.
I remember watching him play. The thing with Jordan was.....his whole friggin game was a highlight clip. You could make a compilation clip that's HOURS LONG from him and still not have captured it all. His game was just truly amazing to watch. It wasn't two or three amazing plays per game. It was constant. Try watching some of his games on espn classics.
This clip is even better. MJ has a putback of a Pippen missed FT against the Blazers that is amazing. I don't know how to embed. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4061216936931746331
Professorjay, get out the kleenex. This one has two of MJ's playoff buzzer beaters against the Cavs. Another where he beats the Pistons and Laimbeer walks off the floor so dejected it's sweet. The last two are Finals game winners against the Jazz. The first one (I think) is right after Malone totally choked and missed 2 FTs after getting fouled. The second one might be my all-time favorite: The full play of his steal from Malone to dribbling down and nailing the jumper against Russell to win championship number 6. I could watch the last two for a long time. </param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/53AMMZ0LCeE" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>
MJ is the best to ever play the game, if he played with today's no touch on the perimeter rules he would have averaged 40+ per game. Kobe is the best today, but he is no Jordan. DD
