Has there ever been a more overrated player than Michael Jordan?

Question

Please read before you throw a bunch of stats at me. I concede that Jordan is great and one of the games 5 best players off all time. But he is considered the GOAT and I ask why. He didn't score the most point( Kareem and even Karl Malone scored more), didn't win the most titles( he won 6, Bill Russell has 11, even Robert Horry has more) nor did he win the most MVPs( his 5 are tied for second with Bill Russell behind Kareems 6). Jordan played 5 seasons without Pippen, made the playoffs 3 times and won 1 playoff game in his career without Scottie. He won his titles after the Pistons lost key players in the expansion draft( Rick Mahorn and John Salley) and Bird and Magic were done. The teams he beat for titles featured these starting centers.. Rookie Vlade Divac, Kevin Duckworth, Mark Bryant, Ervin" not Magic" Johnson and Greg Ostertag. Not exactly Bird beating Kareem, Moses and Akeem or Magic beating Parrish, Malone and Laimbeer. So can anybody tell me why people just say Jordan is the greatest and you are a fool to think otherwise?

Answer 1

Jordan didn't score the most points, win the most championships or the most MVPs. But when you look at his combination of stats and accolades, it's clear that he's the GOAT.



The players who have more points than him - Karl Malone and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. As far as I'm concerned, Kareem is the 2nd greatest player ever behind Michael so you can make a good argument for him. However, Kareem played like 20 years in the league (as did Malone) so that's why he has so many points. Jordan averages more points per game in both the regular season and the Playoffs. Jordan's best scoring seasons were better than Kareem's best scoring seasons. Jordan also has more scoring titles than Kareem and Malone combined. Kareem also had Magic Johnson and Oscar Robertson to get him the ball, so that's a huge factor. There's no way Kareem would have over 38,000 points if Magic Johnson wasn't passing the ball to him.



There are a few players that have more rings than Michael, but only 1 of them has a legitimate GOAT argument (Bill Russell). Russell played on absolutely stacked teams in a weak era for basketball. In his first year as a Boston Celtic, he was playing with the MVP of the league in Bob Cousy. In his last season he was playing with John Havlicek, Bailey Howell and Sam Jones (3 Hall of Famers). You say that Jordan had Pippen, but Russell always had multiple Hall of Famers on his team and played with about 8 or 9 during his whole career. You say that 2 players have more points than Jordan, but Russell has 14,522 points compared to Michael's 32,292. Russell averages 15.1 points on 44% shooting for his career. Jordan averages 30.1 ppg on 50% shooting.



Michael has 5 MVPs (second all time), but he has 6 in the Finals. No one else has more than 3. Michael also never lost a Finals series. Kareem lost 3 times in the Finals, including 1983 when his Lakers got swept by the 76ers.



Jordan doesn't have any titles without Scottie Pippen, but what did Scottie do without Michael? Nothing. How many titles does Kareem have without Oscar or Magic? How many titles does Russell have without multiple Hall of Famers? How many titles does Larry Bird have without Parish and McHale? How many titles does Karl Malone have? Everyone that has a GOAT argument had help. It's as simple as that.



Michael didn't face legendary teams in the Finals, but he still demolished them. And he did play legends in the Finals such as:



John Stockton

Karl Malone

Clyde Drexler

Charles Barkley

Gary Payton

Magic Johnson

James Worthy



Of course it's just an opinion, but I do think that Jordan is the greatest ever. You're entitled to think whatever you want.



EDIT: I completely agree with baudkarma. Every player with a GOAT case has flaws. You pointed out Michael's, but any player you name has them as well. I just feel that Jordan has the best case and is therefore the greatest.

Answer 2

1. More overrated player than Michael Jordan: LeBron James and Kobe Bryant

2. He didn't score the most point( Kareem and even Karl Malone scored more) Check out the facts: How many seasons did those 2 played? Jordan's 15 seasons had games numbering to 18 and 17 games only which when you add isn't even worth being called even as 1 season. Jordan has 32,000 points in lesser games.

3. ( he won 6, Bill Russell has 11, even Robert Horry has more) You seem to quash your argument, Rings are not necessarily requirements for greatness putting Robert Horry alongside Bill Russell proves the point. Teams win championships not 1 player alone.

4. He won his titles after the Pistons lost key players in the expansion draft( Rick Mahorn and John Salley) and Bird and Magic were done. I don't know what you're talking about: Rick Mahorn wasn't in the team when they won their SECOND CONSECUTIVE TITLE, John Salley was still in the line-up when the Bulls swept them and eventually beat JOHNSON'S LAKERS in the finals. Bird played until 1992 when the Bulls won their 2nd consecutive title. In 1995 Magic came back to prove he is still basketball worthy.

5. The teams he beat for titles featured these starting centers.. Rookie Vlade Divac, Kevin Duckworth, Mark Bryant, Ervin" not Magic" Johnson and Greg Ostertag. Not exactly Bird beating Kareem, Moses and Akeem or Magic beating Parrish, Malone and Laimbeer. Was it Jordan's fault that Ewing, Shaquille O'Neal, David Robinson, Hakeem Olajuwon, Dikembe Mutombo wasn't up to challenging Michael Jordan? LMAO. You also fail to mention the great players Jordan faced in the finals: Magic Johnson, Clyde Drexler, Charles Barkley, Kevin Johnson, Shawn Kemp, Gary Payton, Stockton and Malone.





Hope this helps.

Answer 3

I like that. You say "before you throw a bunch of stats at me", and then you proceed to throw up a bunch of stats.



Jordan holds the NBA record for points per game. That's an impressive stat. Kareem and Malone may have scored more points, but Jordan made the most of every game he was in.



Titles? Russell has 11, but the Celtics won many of those when there were only 8 teams in the entire NBA. It's a lot easier to be the best out of 8 then it is to be the best out of 30. Horry has 7 rings, but he's never been anything more then a complimentary player.



And why are you singling out centers in finals games? Jordan and the Bulls beat Patrick Ewing and the Knicks 4 times in the Eastern Conference playoffs. They beat Malone and Stockton twice in the finals. They beat Barkley twice. There are a ton of great players who were around in the 90's, and the reason none of them have titles is because of Michael Jordan.



And a final question, if you don't think Jordan is the GOAT, then who is? I can punch holes in the case of any other player you might want to mention much easier then you can find fault with Jordan.

Answer 4

I'm certain this can be a comic story to you of a few types, however your tips are not making experience. He received a National Title in tuition. He has extra NBA titles than wasting seasons, and he made the playoffs each 12 months he used to be with the Bulls. And Jordan performed with a HOF safeguard the equal method that LeBron James performed with a HOF middle final 12 months. Plus, how did he choke enormous time within the ninety five playoffs? He got here again from virtually two years off to ordinary 31ppg within the playoffs. With your good judgment, Michael Jordan sucks on account that he ignored part the pictures he took in his profession.

Answer 5

NO!



He is clearly the most over rated player in history!



The timing of his career was just right for this!



He scored a ton in the 80's and won nothing cause the league was strong!



When NBA expanded they needed a hero to sell to the sheep, now that the league was sh it and Bird Magic Kareem/ Dr J were all gone!



The Bulls beat up on a bunch of bad teams and all of a sudden Mikey is the best! What a crock of sh it!



Wilt averaged 23 rebounds a game/ Jordan 6- everyone knows how important rebounding is? right?



Jordan fans don't care/6 is better than 23!



Wilt averaged 50 for a season! and 40 in his first 8 years, making him the greatest scorer and rebounder ever in the NBA!



Jordan fans don't care, they never saw Wilt on a gatorade comercial or sticking out his toungue!



Bird was a better shooter/ much better rebounder/ and much better passer than Jordan!



This is all true but brainwashing is tough to reason with!



Kareem is the all time leading scorer, has 6 rings and an NBA record 6 MVP's



It's a popularity contest and there are lots of idiots who are brainwashed and Jordan is their fav.(even though is a a-ss hole)



I have watched them all since 1960 and Wilt and Oscar were much better than Jordan!



Kareem/Bird/ Hakeem and Magic were better than Jordan!



Russell was better than Jordan!





N0! there has never been a more over rated player!

Answer 6

Depends how you are looking at it. If you judge NBA players on accomplishments that is one thing but i judge them on their stats. You don't need rings. Lebron, CP3, Deron Williams, Dwight Howard have not won a ring and most of them probably wont. Does that change the fact that its not their fault the rest of their team sucks. If they are still putting up great numbers it means it is the people they play with's fault. That is the reason Lebron went to Miami, Dwight is leaving, CP3 is leaving. Because they all know like Jordan one player does not win a ring.



Jordan stat wise is the greatest of all time and if he was surrounded by the teams Bill Russell was on don't you think he would have won the same or more rings.



edit- i saw your past questions and see you are someone who judges player based solely on the jewelry