MJ

[Ogaju]

That MJ was a great basketball player is beyond question. What I have always wondered is how much of the greatness of MJ was actual performance on the court and how much was just the combination of marketing (by Nike and NBA), the graciousness of Magic and Bird acknowledging MJ to be the 'greatest', Scottie Pippen, Horace Grant, Dennis Rodman, Bison Daley, Kukoc, and some of the other great role players that did not challenge the greatness of MJ.

Michael is great. Is he the greatest? Would he be as great without the factors listed above?

[Fafnir]

Statistically he holds up as if not the greatest one of the top players ever. Team success certainly added to his legend but he put up stupid numbers even when his Bulls teams weren't winning all that much.

[pearljammer10]

Yes.

[celticmania]

I am young but from what I've seen and read, Wilt Chamberlain was The most Talented player ever but MJ was the real deal

[LarBrd33]

It was all warranted.  He was unreal.

[fitzhickey]

Watch his games. I love Bird and think he is top 3 all time, and Wilt was unreal but MJ was a god

[Mazingerz]

But as a team owner he blows big time;

[barefacedmonk]

LeBron or Kobe - who is the closest to MJ or will most likely surpass his legacy? Can Durant be mentioned in the same question yet?

[fitzhickey]

LeBron or Kobe - who is the closest to MJ or will most likely surpass his legacy? Can Durant be mentioned in the same question yet?

I think Durant will be mentioned in that convo in 5 years imo

[D.o.s.]

By the sheer virtue of the visibility the NBA in his time compared to any other player, Jordan is "Greater" than any other player you could care to define.

By the accolades/numbers, he's firmly in the top 5. At worst.

By virtue of Nike and all the rest of it, everyone still wants to be like Mike. Russell's the winningest, and Kareem has scored the most points, etc., but Jordan is the greatest, in the actual sense of the word, of all time. full stop.

And I honestly believe no one's going to unseat him for at least fifty years after he dies because of how perfectly he predated social media while being in the zenith for advertising and television.

[Ogaju]

LeBron or Kobe - who is the closest to MJ or will most likely surpass his legacy? Can Durant be mentioned in the same question yet?

To me Kobe would be in the same conversation with MJ if he was not so reviled by non-laker fans. What adds to the legend of MJ is that he was able to combine the coldblooded killer instinct with an incredible charm on the court. Opponents did not hate him (well except for maybe Detroit bad boys hahaha) he would talk and joke with his opponents while lighting them up for monster dunks, three pointers, and jumpers. This caused his good friend Charles Barkley to chastise his Phoenix Suns teammates at one point to stop 'joking with Michael while on the court'. As much as Kobe has tried to tailor his career after MJ's the one aspect of MJ he has been unable to copy is that incredible charm. Players, officials, fans, all truly liked Michael Jordan. In fact, I do not doubt that a part of the reason Kobe and LeBron will not be spoken in same conversation as MJ is because of the tremendous love the basketball world has for MJ.

[moiso]

LeBron or Kobe - who is the closest to MJ or will most likely surpass his legacy? Can Durant be mentioned in the same question yet?

Kobe isn't close.  We can talk about Durant and Lebron in a few years.

[D.o.s.]

Kobe would be a lot closer if it wasn't for the charges in Colorado, I think.

[moiso]

Kobe would be a lot closer if it wasn't for the charges in Colorado, I think.

I don't think Kobe is nearly as good.  He is a great scorer and not great at anything else.

[jr_3421]

MJ won defensive player of the year too. People forget that when comparing him to Kobe.