NBA players who have a case to be better than Michael Jordan

[terrible.dee]

Basketball sucks

[Amish Rake Fighter]

I'll get a little bunny rabbit and I'll stroke him and pet him and call him George.

[hatedkid666]

1.Kareem

2.Lebron

3.Jordan

4.Kobe

5.Johnson

[Baka]

Wilt is #1 IMO.

Different era but his physical ability was generational stuff. 7'1 and strong but still fast and nimble. Extremely durable and athletic.

He literally had a season where he averaged 50.4 points per game and 25.7 rebounds per game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJpJ6WK_qTg

[Lil B From The Pack]

Let's see your list...

Joel Anthony

Gheorghe Muresan

Yuta Tabuse

Sun Yue

God Shammgod

[WHL rocks]

Wtf, no Big Country Reeves on your list?

[VanNuck]

Michael Jordan is the best basketball player ever. You could make a case for some guy's but no one is better than MJ. Magic probably comes the closest.

The compete level, the athleticism, the clutchness, and to top it off his 6-0 finals record. MJ was basically the perfect basketball player. Also was a stud defensively. Won defensive player of the year. The only thing he didn't have was an elite 3 point shot (which he mastered sorta late in his career)

I'm a Lebron guy, but it's disrespectful not to include Kobe on your list. You've got Isiah there but not Mamba!? Damn.

1.MJ

2. Magic

3. Kareem

4. Bill Russell

5. Duncan

Yeah, I hear you... my case for Isaiah was that he twice defeated Michael, and bested Magic in the finals - Kobe won five rings yeah, but he didn't have to go through Michael to get those rings.

Far as MJ's compete level, athleticism, clutch play, well I'd actually argue that Magic could easily match Michael's compete level... but more importantly, he controlled the play better and elevated his whole team moreso than Michael. In hockey terms, Michael is maybe Mario Lemieux vs. Magic's Gretzky. Gretzky would own Lemieux three times out of four with his intelligence and teamwork.

Russell's compete level was also sky-high. This guy was virtually undefeatable, even by the Baylor and West led-Lakers. Baylor, I'd have to argue, was better than any Jordan opponent, and as such the best player never to win a championship. His skills were another level, his compete level high - together with West and later Chaimberlain, he should have had a dynasty - but Russell silenced them and won almost twice as many rings as Jordan.

[VanNuck]

Wilt is #1 IMO.

Different era but his physical ability was generational stuff. 7'1 and strong but still fast and nimble. Extremely durable and athletic.

He literally had a season where he averaged 50.4 points per game and 25.7 rebounds per game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJpJ6WK_qTg

Wilt's a great guy all right, but he's also proved to be a very difficult personality who's rifted his locker room and proved difficult to coach. He's also like silenced by the likes of Russel, and was lucky to have won his two championships.

[VanNuck]

I almost forgot to add Hakeem Olajuwon - well maybe more like a near missed being better. This guy was picked first, ahead of Jordan in his draft year and packed very similar skills to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He also is the all-time leader for blocks and one of only four players to have a quadrule-double game. Michael actually selected Hakeem as his pick for center for all-time best team.

[Jiggs50]

Yeah, I hear you... my case for Isaiah was that he twice defeated Michael, and bested Magic in the finals - Kobe won five rings yeah, but he didn't have to go through Michael to get those rings.

Far as MJ's compete level, athleticism, clutch play, well I'd actually argue that Magic could easily match Michael's compete level... but more importantly, he controlled the play better and elevated his whole team moreso than Michael. In hockey terms, Michael is maybe Mario Lemieux vs. Magic's Gretzky. Gretzky would own Lemieux three times out of four with his intelligence and teamwork.

Russell's compete level was also sky-high. This guy was virtually undefeatable, even by the Baylor and West led-Lakers. Baylor, I'd have to argue, was better than any Jordan opponent, and as such the best player never to win a championship. His skills were another level, his compete level high - together with West and later Chaimberlain, he should have had a dynasty - but Russell silenced them and won almost twice as many rings as Jordan.

MJ's compete level is probably what sets him apart from any athlete ever. I mean the things Jordan did/does are insane.

He ended the careers of numerous player's cause he would break them down mentally throughout games.

At age 42 he destroyed OJ Mayo who was a top basketball prospect. Even in his 50's he beats up on his Charlotte Hornets players. Just unreal.

He told you what he was going to do on the court, and no one could stop him.

Jordan was a pretty good playmaker as well. I'd argue that while Magic was better at passing and making his teammates better, Micheal was ages better at scoring. The man averaged 37.1 points in a season in the 24 second shot clock era, unlike Wilt. Oh and Michael did average up to 8 assists during the reg season, so it's not like he lacked in that area.

As for the finals, he beat Magic and Worthy (albeit late in their careers)and Shaq and Penny. Charles Barkley and the Suns were no joke. Lastly the best team he faced, the Karl Malone-Stockton led Utah Jazz. Beat em back to back years.

Magic Johnson would of had a very convincing case had he played longer. Still one of the greats but MJ will always be tops.

[VanNuck]

MJ's compete level is probably what sets him apart from any athlete ever. I mean the things Jordan did/does are insane.

He ended the careers of numerous player's cause he would break them down mentally throughout games.

At age 42 he destroyed OJ Mayo who was a top basketball prospect. Even in his 50's he beats up on his Charlotte Hornets players. Just unreal.

He told you what he was going to do on the court, and no one could stop him.

Jordan was a pretty good playmaker as well. I'd argue that while Magic was better at passing and making his teammates better, Micheal was ages better at scoring. The man averaged 37.1 points in a season in the 24 second shot clock era, unlike Wilt. Oh and Michael did average up to 8 assists during the reg season, so it's not like he lacked in that area.

As for the finals, he beat Magic and Worthy (albeit late in their careers)and Shaq and Penny. Charles Barkley and the Suns were no joke. Lastly the best team he faced, the Karl Malone-Stockton led Utah Jazz. Beat em back to back years.

Magic Johnson would of had a very convincing case had he played longer. Still one of the greats but MJ will always be tops.

Don't forget Russell. I mean, what Jordan did in outcompeting his opponents and breaking them down mentally and such, Russel arguably did that even better. He won 11 championships in 13 seasons - by the way, in one of those two seasons he didn't win, he still made the finals (and had to get used to doubling as player-coach). In the other season, he simply got hurt and couldn't play in the finals. He was no doubt the best defender in the history of the NBA and an underrated scorer and playmaker. And more than anyone else, his focus was on how to make his whole team better.

Jordan did beat Johnson in 1990, yes, but Magic, on top of being late in his career, was playing for Mike Dunvaley Sr., a very inferior coach to Phil Jackson or Pat Riley. Magic made the finals more than Jordan, testifying to his own compete level, but among other things, he had to face Larry Bird, who was better than any Jordan opponent, if not Jordan himself.

[Jiggs50]

Don't forget Russell. I mean, what Jordan did in outcompeting his opponents and breaking them down mentally and such, Russel arguably did that even better. He won 11 championships in 13 seasons - by the way, in one of those two seasons he didn't win, he still made the finals (and had to get used to doubling as player-coach). In the other season, he simply got hurt and couldn't play in the finals. He was no doubt the best defender in the history of the NBA and an underrated scorer and playmaker. And more than anyone else, his focus was on how to make his whole team better.

Jordan did beat Johnson in 1990, yes, but Magic, on top of being late in his career, was playing for Mike Dunvaley Sr., a very inferior coach to Phil Jackson or Pat Riley. Magic made the finals more than Jordan, testifying to his own compete level, but among other things, he had to face Larry Bird, who was better than any Jordan opponent, if not Jordan himself.

Russell is probably the best defender of all time. I agree with that. But his rings came when the league had 10 teams? He had legendary teammates as well. He was a winner alright, but he just didn't have the overall game. Love him though.

Yeah Magic beat Bird (and lost) in the finals but he had some of the greatest player's ever to play the game by his side. Nba all time scoring leader Kareem and Big Games James Worthy. Micheal Cooper used to come off the bench!

Micheal had much less help in his first 3 peat.

[VanNuck]

Russell is probably the best defender of all time. I agree with that. But his rings came when the league had 10 teams? He had legendary teammates as well. He was a winner alright, but he just didn't have the overall game. Love him though.

Yeah Magic beat Bird (and lost) in the finals but he had some of the greatest player's ever to play the game by his side. Nba all time scoring leader Kareem and Big Games James Worthy. Micheal Cooper used to come off the bench!

Micheal had much less help in his first 3 peat.

Yeah, Russell won his eleven rings in a smaller league, but he still had to go through greats like Oscar Robertson and the Bucks, Wilt Chaimberlain and the 76ers, and most notably, Jerry West and Eglin Baylor and the Lakers. Jordan's had great opponents, all due respect, but few like these guys Russell silenced. He didn't have MJ's overall game, yeah, but he did have leadership in spades - he measured his game by whether or not it made the whole team play better, and with Russell in, they all stood and delivered.

Magic, I'll concede, individually is no Michael Jordan and had his share of greats on his side. But his star, again, is in leadership, making the whole team play better. I'll add that, while many Lakers were great stars in their own right, it took Magic to elevate them to the shining stars they were. Magic was more of a team effort game, which bests individual greatness any day.

As for Michael, he did have Scottie Pippen, who once controversially called himself the "original LeBron," a gross overstatement, but makes an arguable statement. Not only did he help lead the Bulls to six championships, he also nearly upset the O'Neil and Bryant-led Lakers in the 2001 conference finals. He also had John Paxson, Bill Cartwright, and Horace Grant among others - although he too was their leader who made them better (not quite like Magic though).

[Green Building]

No NBA player can make a case to be better than Jordan, but every player who thinks he can has first dibs at second place. Currently, Kobe and Lebron come the closest, but neither are all that close. Those 2 are elite, sure, but Jordan was legendary.

[VanNuck]

No NBA player can make a case to be better than Jordan, but every player who thinks he can has first dibs at second place. Currently, Kobe and Lebron come the closest, but neither are all that close. Those 2 are elite, sure, but Jordan was legendary.

Anyone can make a case, that does not make them better. See my other thread in Around the NHL where scores of folks are making cases that Lemieux or Orr is greater than Gretzky. Jordan's no different.

[Green Building]

Anyone can make a case, that does not make them better. See my other thread in Around the NHL where scores of folks are making cases that Lemieux or Orr is greater than Gretzky. Jordan's no different.

But Lemieux was better than Gretzky

You're right though, anyone can make a case. In my opinion though most of them would be thrown out before seeing a courtroom. There are only 2 guys I didn't get to see much of, if any. Wilt Chamberlain, and Magic Johnson. Johnson retired they year I stared following the Bulls (bias warning), and since I was 11, well Chamberlain was not even on my radar.

And VanNuck: Comparing Johnson and Jordan to Lemieux and Gretzky, that doesn't work. It's only really fair if those names are flipped, ie Johnson=Lemieux as both retired well before their time due to medical conditions, and that better fits the context of the argument, I think.

[Jiggs50]

Yeah, Russell won his eleven rings in a smaller league, but he still had to go through greats like Oscar Robertson and the Bucks, Wilt Chaimberlain and the 76ers, and most notably, Jerry West and Eglin Baylor and the Lakers. Jordan's had great opponents, all due respect, but few like these guys Russell silenced. He didn't have MJ's overall game, yeah, but he did have leadership in spades - he measured his game by whether or not it made the whole team play better, and with Russell in, they all stood and delivered.

Magic, I'll concede, individually is no Michael Jordan and had his share of greats on his side. But his star, again, is in leadership, making the whole team play better. I'll add that, while many Lakers were great stars in their own right, it took Magic to elevate them to the shining stars they were. Magic was more of a team effort game, which bests individual greatness any day.

As for Michael, he did have Scottie Pippen, who once controversially called himself the "original LeBron," a gross overstatement, but makes an arguable statement. Not only did he help lead the Bulls to six championships, he also nearly upset the O'Neil and Bryant-led Lakers in the 2001 conference finals. He also had John Paxson, Bill Cartwright, and Horace Grant among others - although he too was their leader who made them better (not quite like Magic though).

Celtics were stacked with future Hall of Famers and All-Stars, including John Havlicek, Bob Cousy, Sam Jones, Tom Heinsohn, KC Jones, and Bill Sharman.

Jordan didn't nearly have that much help. In his first 3 peat it was mostly him and Pippen. 6-0 speaks for itself. Never ever let a finals series go to 7 I believe.

Kareem was an established champion before Magic came. That Lakers Showtime basketball was entertaining AF though.

[Phil_314]

I wish I was around for the Jordan and Bird/ Magic eras.

From a younger perspective I'd say Kobe (strictly because of his clutch ability), LeBron (he is probably one of the most dominant and complete players to come around in awhile since he's got speed, size, passing, shooting and defending pretty good) and Duncan (you don't get five championships without being good-- and as much as San Antonio has been dominant for quite a long time, you should still have to attribute part of the credit for the success to him too).

[VanNuck]

I wish I was around for the Jordan and Bird/ Magic eras.

From a younger perspective I'd say Kobe (strictly because of his clutch ability), LeBron (he is probably one of the most dominant and complete players to come around in awhile since he's got speed, size, passing, shooting and defending pretty good) and Duncan (you don't get five championships without being good-- and as much as San Antonio has been dominant for quite a long time, you should still have to attribute part of the credit for the success to him too).

Kobe's the best MJ imitation, no doubt. To call him better than MJ is another story. He isn't quite as good a leader as MJ according to coach PHil Jackson (although still one of the best today). He also won only five championships and didn't have to deal with opponents either of the MJs faced, except for maybe Duncan. Still one of the greats of all time.

LBJ has a case, being a) picked first overall doing more with a weaker team c) having perhaps more all-around ability d) winning championships sooner.

I like Duncan, I think he's a more selfless guy than MJ. But I wouldn't quite consider him a contender to top MJ, unless he maybe wins two more rings before retiring.

[Shift-4]

Only Wilt comes close

My favourite is Magic though