Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan is almost universally regarded as the greatest basketball player to ever play.
That said, it’s always difficult to make the argument that someone is the GOAT because competition varies by era. And while Jordan obviously played against the likes of Hakeem Olajuwon, Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird – there were certain players who he didn’t face in his prime.
A while back, Jordan did an interview where he revealed which players he wished he could’ve played at their best.
The list was quite surprising:
“If I was in my prime, who would I want to play one-on-one?” he pondered.
“That list is very long. I’d start off with Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Kobe Bryant in his prime, LeBron [James] in his prime, D[wyane] Wade in his prime, [Car]melo [Anthony] … that’s a good start. I don’t think I‘d lose, other than to Kobe Bryant because he steals all of my moves.”
Obviously West, Baylor, James and Bryant are understandable picks. Wade also makes sense – he was a two-time champ at this point. Anthony is an interesting one.
Given Jordan’s place in history, any time he divulges any bit of info like this it’s always a fascinating listen. Whether he is breaking down how he’d stop James or revealing the one athlete who always intimidated him – he generally keeps it pretty real.
Yikes. https://t.co/0jFlLgNAAu
— Game 7 (@game7__) May 1, 2022
This was just the latest example of that.
What fun nuggets will Jordan produce going forward? Time will tell.
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Charles Kruger has been credentialed to cover two Super Bowls, four NBA Finals, and one World Series. A 20-year veteran in the sports world, he has sources spanning the NBA, MLB, NFL, UFC and NASCAR. Currently residing in Los Angeles, Calif., he is Game 7’s go-to source for rumors surrounding the Lakers, Clippers and Dodgers.
