Michael Jordan’s Pick for NBA GOAT Isn’t Who You’d Expect
Throughout the last couple of decades, Michael Jordan has garnered the reputation as being arguably the greatest player that the NBA has ever had. That has put much gravity behind his words, especially when it comes to he judges as all-time talent in the league. With that in mind, Jordan has a surprising selection regarding who he believes is the greatest in NBA history.
Michael Jordan’s illustrious NBA career
Behind 15 years in the NBA, Michael Jordan put together an incredible career.
He accomplished it all that has garnered him tremendous respect from the NBA community and the sports world. Jordan had the accolades such as six NBA titles, six NBA Finals MVP awards, five regular-season MVP awards, 14 All-Star selections, fourth on the all-time scoring list, a Defensive Player of the Year award, 10 All-NBA First team nods, nine All-Defensive FIrst team selections, and 10 scoring titles among other things.
Jordan saved his best for the playoff s as he reached that 13 times in his career where he averaged at least 30 points on 12 occasions, scored 50 or more points eight times, and won an NBA title in each of his six trips to the Finals where he never played in a Game 7. He still holds the all-time mark with a career average of 30.1 points per contest while he finished third all-time in scoring.
Despite all that, it’s believed that Jordan sees another player as the greatest in NBA history.
John Salley believes Michael Jordan would choose Oscar Robertson as GOAT
Although Michael Jordan has garnered respect from his peers and the sports world as being the greatest NBA player, but that isn’t a title he’s comfortable holding.
That sentiment was echoed through former Chicago Bulls teammate John Salley as he voiced during an interview with VladTV that Jordan didn’t like the GOAT mantel and believes Oscar Robertson is the greatest player.
“He (MJ) started getting more and more popular and I was like ‘dog, they say you’re the greatest player to ever play’. He goes ‘come on sal stop’. I said no, people are saying you’re the greatest player to ever play. Ever. Forget everybody else MJ, they saying you. They only watched you play for four years, you’re the greatest player ever. He was like ‘you know that’s how they do sh*t, you know they put things together. They want to sell sneakers, they want to sell the league’. He don’t believe he the greatest player to ever play…He would say, Oscar Robertson.
Jordan has spoken highly of the fellow Hall of Famer in the past as he holds tremendous respect for him. Robertson put forth an incredible career that saw him earn 12 All-Star selections, an MVP award, an NBA title, nine All-NBA First Team nods, and two All-NBA Second Team selections.
He led the league in assists six times while averaging triple-double type numbers throughout his career. That helped him earn his jersey retired by the Sacramento Kings (formerly Cincinnati Royals) and Milwaukee Bucks.
MJ still remains atop the list
Over the years, Michael Jordan has never been entirely comfortable being labeled as the greatest NBA player.
It’s not a recognition that he has ever bestowed upon himself, but it’s something that many of his peers and players that have followed hold him to that honor. Jordan was a game-changing talent on both ends of the floor that help further revolutionize the NBA.
Jordan will never truly be comfortable with that prestigious mantel given that he never got to play many of the other game’s greatest players. However, it’s something that has become firmly associated with his basketball career.
