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Why Michael Jordan is the second greatest player of all time?
I recently had a discussion with some of my college classmates and we were discussing NBA greats and who was the greatest player of all time. Naturally, they all choose Michael Jordan and with reason. Michael Jordan was the the pinnacle when it comes to succes in the 90's. With six NBA championships and a numerous amount of recods on and off the field, it has made Jordan a legend in the minds of NBA players and fans alike. However, I choose to argue against Michael being the greatest.They all thought that I was crazy and that I was probably on some drug to say what I said. What did I say? that Wilt Chamberlain was the greatest player of all time.
Michael with all his greatness never played with anybody who was great. Look at the 80's when Michael was the leading scorer almost every year. Yet, no one was raving about this soon to be legend. Why, becasue their were four teams in the 80's that had greatness, that had competition with one another. The Los Angeles Lakers, the Boston Celtics, the 76ers, and the Bad Boy Pistons. Everybody was either a Laker or a Celtic Fan, Dr.J dazzled everyone with his superb dunks, Larry Bird was considered by many to the great white hope, along with being the best small forward in the decade. Magic was making a case to be the best point guard in history and a numerous amount of other stars that made headways in basketball. What can we say was Michael Jordan's? Cylde Drexler, Reggie Miller? they were very good basketball players. But no where near the competion that Magic had with Bird. That is a rivarly not a mismatch of opponents.
While Michael had mismatched opponents it was with Wilt who had to play in almost year with a competitor that was better than his own team. Look at the Boston Celtics in Wilt's era, with legendary players like Bill Russell and etc. They probably had the bench players be inducted into the Hall of Fame with 11 championships in 13 years. Their also was the Los Angeles Lakers who went to the Finals 9 times in that era before winning an NBA. Though what Jerry West can't say is that he beat the Celtics in the Championship with 8 straight titles. Wilt Chamberlain with the 76ers did. Wilt Chamberlain and the 76ers proved to themselves and the world that they were for that one year better than the Celtics in that decade of complete dominance. That is geat playing against great. Should I go further, et's look at Wilt Chamberlain's Statistics. He average 28 points per game his first 7 years in the league. Wilt is the only player in NBA history to average 50 points per game and to score 100 points in one single game. Now that is incredible, to dominate in a sport that was dominated by another team shows greatness. to Win in an era when the Celtics were great and still in their prime. Unlike the Lakers who were if to be honest bit honest a little dired up in 1991.
These two were my two ponts of why Michael with all his greatness was second because he had no competitor, unlike Wilt who won in a league that was dominated by someone esle. That to me is true greatness, an that is why I believe Wilt is the greatest of all time.
Timothy McKain
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