(Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images)
For decades, NBA fans have gone back and forth to debate about the greatest player in league history.
Some big names, such as Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, or Tim Duncan, are often snubbed, whereas Kobe Bryant and LeBron James are often mentioned alongside Michael Jordan.
To this day, most people still consider Jordan to be the undisputed GOAT, with James as a close second.
However, to Avery Johnson, there shouldn’t even be a debate.
Talking on The Mark Jackson Show, the former NBA player stated that Jordan was the clear-cut greatest player of all time, adding that he fit both the numbers and the eye test (via Legion Hoops).
Avery Johnson says Michael Jordan is the clear-cut GOAT:
“We can really peel back all of the numbers. You can even go with the eye test, but everybody else is a distant second behind Mike. And there’s no disrespect to it.”
(via The Mark Jackson Show) pic.twitter.com/sEhC33BTNY
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) August 24, 2024
Truth be told, it’s hard to argue with that statement.
Jordan wasn’t a pass-first guy, but he could run an offense like the best of them when asked to do so.
He wasn’t a three-point shooter because the game wasn’t played that way back then, but he could knock down shots from all three levels.
He holds the highest scoring average of all time, his numbers in the playoffs were simply off the charts, and he never lost in the NBA Finals — he didn’t even go to a Game 7 there.
Jordan was also a lockdown defender.
Longevity matters, but the only reason why Jordan doesn’t sit atop the all-time leading scorer’s list is because he retired early twice.
And still, all these years later, no one has been able to replicate his dominance on the biggest stage, and until anyone does, his GOAT status may remain unmoved.
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