Michael Jordan - is He the Greatest?

Who is the greatest basketball player of all time? The debate is over, for now. Until another player comes along that wins and accomplishes as much as Michael Jordan did, his career and accomplishments are etched in stone. He has proudly taken his place in history. Regarded by many as the greatest player to ever play the game of basketball, Michael Jordan thrilled NBA audiences for thirteen seasons with his amazing athletic ability and fiery competitiveness that produced spectacular drives and dunks, above-the-rim offensive maneuvers, tenacious defense and championship performances.

During his career, Michael Jordan had many accomplishments. Although this list of accomplishments is not exhaustive the following facts from Jordan's The Love of the Game attest to his achievements: he has won five regular-season MVP's, six finals MVP's, and three ALL-Star Game MVP's (67). No other player has won this many MVP's in three different categories. Aschburner, a sports writer for the Star Tribune, also recognizes Jordan's abilities, stating that Jordan has won ten scoring titles. No other player has led the league in scoring ten times. Shouler states in his book Michael: Farewell to a Legend, "Jerry West, at thirty-one, was the only player close to Jordan's most recent scoring title at thirty-five years of age. No one else in NBA history has won a title after the age of twenty-nine" (57). In his autobiography, Jordan tells of how he won six NBA championships in his last six years in teh league and how he won two Olympic gold medals. He went to the Olympics once as a college player, and once as a professional. In his book, Jordan also states that he has been the steals champion three times, defensive player of the year once, and has made it on the All-Defensive First Team nine times and the All-NBA First Team nine times. Shouler states that during Jordan's thirteen-year career, there were thirty games in which he scored more than 50 points, four games in which he scored over 60 points, and 161games in which he scored over 40 points (45).

Michael Jordan's opponents' accomplishments have seemed insignificant in comparison. Wilt Chanberlain has won four MVP awards, ten less than Jordan, and only two NBA championships. Kareem Abdul-Jabar has won six MVP's, compared to Jordan's 14, and has won six championships, the same number Jordan has. Larry Bird has won three MVP's and three NBA championships. Bill Russel haswon five MVP's and 11 NBA championships. He is the only player from the past whose statistics compare to Jordan's. Magic Johnson is another great player whom Jordan has been compared to. He had a heart and will to win, just as Jordan had, as is shown in his five championships. No matter what all these great players have done, they have fallen short of what Jordan has accomplished. Isaacson states in The One and Forever Only that "It is that unshaking constitution that, more than anything, has set Jordan apart from so many other great athletes, so many legends. He would not allow his team to lose" (16). He has left a great impact on the game, and even changed the game, more than any other player. Although there are many great athletes in the game today, none seem to awe us as much as Jordan did, nor have any accomplished as much as he did during his career. Current players are constantly being compared to Jordan and many have been predicted to be the next Michael Jordan. Aside from wining an NBA championship, the next coveted position is that of taking Jordan's place in the game. But can that really be done?

In his greatness, many of Jordan's opponents have seen Jordan from a fans perspective of the game. They have often marveled at the things he could do. Nate Thurmond has been quoted in Michael: Farewell to a Legend saying, "Michael Jordan is the best ever.There shouldn't be any question in anyone's mind. There are no ifs, ands or buts about it. He broke the mold. There is no one remotely close to him" (61). George Mikan, a basketball Hall of Famer, said that Jordan is the best basketball player that has ever lived. Michael Jordan has been the only player to put up the numbers he did and still lead his team to six consecutive championships. He was simply amazing. What set Jordan apart from the others as well was his intelligence on the court. He played mind games on the court. In his book NBA at Fifty, Vancil says, "Michael Jordan is the greatest competitor in the history of sports, not just basketball. He is the ultimate competitor" (110).

That Michael Jordan is the greatest player thus far is indesputable. There has never been anyone with more talent and drive in the history of basketball. The statement is true and may be true fifty years from now. The most exciting question now, however is: what will the next great player be able to do?

Sources: Isaacson, Melisa. "The One and Forever Only." The Sporting News June 22, 1998
Jordan, Michael. For the Love of the Game, My Story by Michael Jordan. New York:Crown, 1998
Shouler, Ken. Michael: Farewell to a Legend. Ultimate Sports Publishing, 1999
Vancil, Mark. NBA at Fifty. New Jersey: Park Lane, 1996