Contrary to popular belief, NBA era comparisons do not occur much these days. Every great player in the league, even if it means drawing comparisons between players and teams from various eras, has presumably been asked at some point who the greatest of all time is. LeBron James, who is constantly compared to Michael Jordan, is experiencing it right now, but Michael Jordan experienced it too while he was active.
Jordan was once asked if he thought his career accomplishments made him superior to notable athletes like Wilt Chamberlain, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and Bill Russell. Jordan said he couldn’t even begin to address that question.
“Not at all. That’s something that, in my opinion, is incredibly difficult to prove,” Jordan stated. “To compare all of us and claim one is greater than the other is to unfairly disparage the art or the artists because each of us played in various eras, with different teams, and with varying degrees of success. Given that Wilt Chamberlain, Magic Johnson, and every other player who came before me were the masters of this sport, and that we have all learned from them and made some improvements to the image, is it really accurate to argue that one improvement outweighs them all? It’s an incorrect evaluation.
Apparently, this has been asked of every great NBA player. There will always be strong opinions on both sides of the GOAT controversy, and no one can definitively say that one player is the greatest of all time. In response, Jordan made it plain that while it’s unfair to compare different periods, the NBA community will likely continue to do so.
