Avery Johnson, former San Antonio Spurs player and witness to Michael Jordan‘s greatness in the debate over the best player in NBA history, joins the list of those who consider Jordan to be the greatest of all time.
Johnson, who faced Jordan on multiple occasions, highlighted his accomplishments and impact on the game. He also emphasized the difficulty of the challenges Jordan faced during his career, such as competing against powerful teams like the Detroit Pistons , Boston Celtics , and Utah Jazz .
On a recent episode of Mark Jackson’s podcast, former NBA player Avery Johnson selected Jordan as the greatest player of all time. “Michael, just for all the different reasons. But when you win six championships, you’re the MVP of all six, you never get to a Game 7, and all of the defensive — first team All-Defense, first team All-NBA, MVPs, regular season MVPs — I think there was another stat that you know, he didn’t have as many, it was a revolving door of free agents that he played with, and he did it with one team,” Johnson said.
“You know, we can really peel back all of the numbers. You can even go with the eye test, but everybody else is a distant second behind Michael Jordan. Just a distant second. And there’s no disrespect in it, so please do not send me any hate mail. It’s my opinion, right?” Johnson added.
NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan looks on during the 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony at Tom Benson Hall Of Fame Stadium on August 03, 2024 in Canton, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)
The comparison with LeBron James
LeBron James , another frequent candidate for the GOAT title, boasts an impressive resume. However, according to Johnson, his accomplishments do not reach the level of Jordan’s. Despite his years in the league, LeBron still trails Jordan in championships, MVP awards, and All-Defensive selections.
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NBA News: Celtics star picks GOAT between LeBron James and Michael Jordan
The debate continues
Although Johnson has expressed his conviction about Jordan, the GOAT debate will continue to generate discussions among fans. While other players may challenge his title, Jordan will still be considered by many to be the greatest player to ever step on a basketball court.
