Jackson highlights how exceptional players, regardless of their era, had the necessary skills to adapt to games.
One of the athletes that had the opportunity to compete against NBA icons like Earvin “Magic” Johnson of the Los Angeles Lakers and Larry Bird of the Boston Celtics is Mark Jackson.
The 1988 Rookie of the Year expressed his thoughts on how Bird or Magic would perform if they played in the modern NBA, taking into account the modifications made to the game.
“I think your game translates if you are an all-time great, regardless of when you played—in the 60s, 70s, 80s, or 2024,” Jackson stated during his appearance on Come and Talk 2 Me.
The game was altered by Bird and Magic.
The All-Star guard notes that The Magic Man and Larry Legend would gain a great deal from this, pointing out how the league has placed a priority on scoring.
It would have an even bigger effect. Because the offensive players stand to gain from the regulations. He is not touchable. Those individuals will get their way. Even when they play in the same manner, they’re still all-time greats, according to Jackson.
Magnificence knows no bounds.
Jackson emphasized that exceptional players like Bird and Magic are unique, and he utilized the opposite situation to support his claim.
LeBron James of the Lakers was singled out by him. Jackson believes that the four-time MVP would stand out from the other players in that generation if he had played in a different age.
“If LeBron James were to be placed in 1970, 1980, or any other period in this game’s history, he would still be LeBron James, and we would still acknowledge his excellence. Thus, those two individuals would undoubtedly have an even bigger impact—if they were still playing in the modern game—than they do now.
Players such as Stephen Jackson publicly voice their dissatisfaction with the present condition of the game, where defensive efforts appear to be neglected, and some have criticized the NBA for emphasizing offense over defense.
Aside from him, other notable figures who have questioned the state of the game include Rasheed Wallace and Michael Ray Richardson, two former players, and Steve Kerr, the current coach of the Warriors.
