Hakeem: Jordan is a far superior player than LeBron

[dbugz]

“When people start comparing him with Jordan, then that’s not a fair comparison. Jordan was a far more superior player in a very tough league, and he was very creative. That’s not taking away anything from LeBron because he is a great player, but it is not a fair comparison because Jordan is a far superior player.”

https://nba.nbcsports.com/2020/10/24/hakeem-olajuwon-jumps-into-goat-debate-jordan-is-a-far-superior-player/

https://media0.giphy.com/media/l3q2JCu9lep6dAmyY/giphy.gif

https://media.tenor.com/images/67e3e0a0231edc4d5084d782d4dd227a/tenor.gif

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/f1/bc/91/f1bc91d8a016dfd9f6620629c9ec59e2.gif

[Vino24]

4 chips 4 fmvp 4mvp


Boom

[RoundMoundOfReb]

https://i.ibb.co/Jm01w2N/B94-A7-DE6-4-D4-B-4-FB4-ACCF-D9112-C69272-C.jpg

[scuzzy]

https://i.ibb.co/Jm01w2N/B94-A7-DE6-4-D4-B-4-FB4-ACCF-D9112-C69272-C.jpg
:roll:

[TheGoatest]

https://i.ibb.co/Jm01w2N/B94-A7-DE6-4-D4-B-4-FB4-ACCF-D9112-C69272-C.jpg

:roll:

[AirFederer]

4 chips 4 fmvp 4mvp


Boom
How many finals lost?:cry:

[dbugz]

libron fantards

https://media.tenor.com/images/67e3e0a0231edc4d5084d782d4dd227a/tenor.gif

:roll:

[Gray GOAT]

https://i.ibb.co/Jm01w2N/B94-A7-DE6-4-D4-B-4-FB4-ACCF-D9112-C69272-C.jpg

:roll:

[LonelyOwl]

https://i.ibb.co/Jm01w2N/B94-A7-DE6-4-D4-B-4-FB4-ACCF-D9112-C69272-C.jpg

:roll:

[bullettooth]

Hakeem tried coaching this guy on his game.. dude still looked like a giant stiff even when taking notes from the guy with the greatest footwork EVER.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yF0vQGFpHrs

[Smoke117]

https://i.ibb.co/Jm01w2N/B94-A7-DE6-4-D4-B-4-FB4-ACCF-D9112-C69272-C.jpg

:roll: :roll:

[8Ball]

https://i.ibb.co/Jm01w2N/B94-A7-DE6-4-D4-B-4-FB4-ACCF-D9112-C69272-C.jpg

Day 18.

Dear Diary.

"I hate libron"

:roll:

[dbugz]

In translation,

don't you ever ever place libron's name beside the GOAT MJ. They're not on the same level, not even close

libron fantards time to

https://media.tenor.com/images/67e3e0a0231edc4d5084d782d4dd227a/tenor.gif :oldlol:

so many triggered fantards :roll::roll: keep on coming and bumping this thread. you're welcome :oldlol:

[HylianNightmare]

4 chips 4 fmvp 4mvp


Boom

4 wins and 6 losses in the finals

[G0ATbe]

4 wins and 6 losses in the finals

10 conference championships

4 finals championships

[Shooter]

https://i.ibb.co/Jm01w2N/B94-A7-DE6-4-D4-B-4-FB4-ACCF-D9112-C69272-C.jpg

:roll::roll::roll:

[And1AllDay]

https://i.ibb.co/Jm01w2N/B94-A7-DE6-4-D4-B-4-FB4-ACCF-D9112-C69272-C.jpg

:oldlol::roll:

[3ball]

.
No one talks like this about Lebron:


https://i.makeagif.com/media/5-24-2020/TZ-v5K.gif

[light]

"in a very tough league"

https://uproxx.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/lebron-laugh.jpg?w=650

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/t5Ege7-JXLr7dfmubOa3-0UmvaoLRAQ2t-82YE4PLUhYmX_uk_F4-pzpRc_MP08HpUmweILAxt-TyBdqlGN8jm6cppXUBo_yxwiJq3icyiPCtw0CLAUVFxwYCXVjD f4clJ-6ry5Ofk4Eo0OXNjknrMnLB7ke

https://i.insider.com/514b19b469bedd7c50000003?width=900&format=jpeg

Hakeem is just looking out for his own legacy.

[And1AllDay]

weak era


Charles Barkley, 1994:


"The league has deteriorated. You have bad general managers drafting bad players. It's like the NFL. The older players are moving on, and the younger ones aren't there yet. You look at some of the guys starting in this league these days and it makes you shake your head."

Dennis Rodman, 1997:


"We could not have won 70 games playing against 1980's teams."

Larry Bird, 1996:


"I think the expansion teams have really hurt the league, I think it's depleted the talent in our league."

Bob Costas, 1996:


"Dr. J had Larry and Magic to test himself against, there's nothing comparable to that quality of competition at the top for these Chicago Bulls. So it seems a little awkward to talk about the Bulls as one of the best teams of all time."

https://s6.gifyu.com/images/separator-light1378072ed9159071.gif

1983 Sixers - 3 hall of famers - Malone, Irving, Cheeks
1984 Celtics - 4 hall of famers - Bird, Parrish, McHale, Johnson
1985 Lakers - 5 hall of famers - Magic, Kareem, Worthy, McAdoo, Wilkes
1989 Pistons - 4 hall of famers - Thomas, Dumars, Rodman, Dantley

1996 Sonics - 1 hall of famer - Payton
1993 Knicks - 1 hall of famer - Ewing
1992 Blazers - 1 hall of famer - Drexler
1993 Suns - 1 hall of famer - Barkley
1996 Magic - 1 hall of famer - Shaq

2007 Spurs - 3 hall of famers - Duncan, Parker, Ginobili
2010 Celtics - 3 hall of famers - Garnett, Allen, Pierce
2014 Spurs - 4 hall of famers - Duncan, Parker, Ginobili, Leonard
2016 Warriors - 4 hall of famers - Curry, Thompson, Green, Iguodala
2017 Warriors - 5 hall of famers - Curry, Thompson, Green, Iguodala, Durant

[Mr. Woke]

Hakeem is a biased old head.

[kawhileonard2]

Hakeem is a biased old head.

How so?

[Elosha]

10 conference championships

4 finals championships

9/10 conference titles in the pansy EC. While teaming up with multiple superstars. And usually getting destroyed by the Western Conference opponent. Then moves to Western Conference after getting swept in his last Finals appearance and can't even make the playoffs in the West in his first year without another superstar. Predictably, gets a superstar the next year, in a year where Golden State breaks up, Kevin Durant is out with injury, LA Clippers perform one of the greatest choke jobs of all time, and they play a mediocre opponents, including a very weak Miami Heat team which still takes them to six games. Yes, this weak-ass fourth championship certainly means a lot and makes LeBron the GOAT.:facepalm

[dankok8]

9/10 conference titles in the pansy EC. While teaming up with multiple superstars. And usually getting destroyed by the Western Conference opponent. Then moves to Western Conference after getting swept in his last Finals appearance and can't even make the playoffs in the West in his first year without another superstar. Predictably, gets a superstar the next year, in a year where Golden State breaks up, Kevin Durant is out with injury, LA Clippers perform one of the greatest choke jobs of all time, and they play a mediocre opponents, including a very weak Miami Heat team which still takes them to six games. Yes, this weak-ass fourth championship certainly means a lot and makes LeBron the GOAT.:facepalm

Yea... Imagine hyping up Finals appearances when you have a teammate who's arguably the 2nd best player in the conference (Wade, Kyrie) and another teammate who's a top 10 player in the conference (Bosh, Love) as well. That was Lebron's situation from 2011 to 2017. A lot of all time greats would absolutely tear up the league in that situation.

[OldSchoolBBall]

Here's the full text of Hakeem's comments on Jordan and his analysis of his game taken from Hakeem's book:


Michael Jordan and I came into the NBA at the same time. It didn’t take long for me to realize that this was the greatest player I had ever seen. There may have been greater players before him in the history of the league but I never witnessed them; when I saw Michael Jordan I saw a player strong in all areas.

When I analyze an opponent-or a teammate, for that matter-I try to see their weaknesses. You can break down most players that way. No matter how strong a player is in one area, if he is weak in another you can neutralize him by forcing him to go there again and again. It doesn’t take long to find out. Usually, if one is a good shooter he doesn’t like to drive; if he’s a good driver he can’t shoot. You can use that knowledge. If a player is a weak foul shooter, foul him; if he can’t hit jump shots in the fourth quarter, dare him to beat you by playing loose late in the game; if he is soft to his right, don’t let him go left. If you take away all options except the one a player is weak at you have taken away his game.

But none of that worked with Michael Jordan. Whatever you gave him, he would take it. If you backed off, he would shoot. He would make his shot most of the time, and if he missed it was only because he was human. If you came too close he would go around you. If you gave him the right or the left he would go either way. If there was nothing there, he would create. He could rebound, he p;aged good defense, he was quick with steals. He was strong in all areas; if you let him do anything at all he would beat you. Players liked to play against him because it was a challenge to go up against the best. I gave him the ultimate respect because he was a complete player.

Michael Jordan is a natural athlete. His form is perfect, he has strong basketball basics and fundamentals, and his game is all footwork. At 6’6” he is an in-between player. Most 6’6” players are small forwards; he is a natural guard. That’s why he creates problems-Michael Jordan is a big guard. He does everything guards can do, and much more, with size. He’s as quick as other guards but bigger, so he takes advantage by shooting over them. When he plays bigger guys he’s quicker than they are and has great ball-handling skills, so he beats his man easily, makes the shot and gets fouled. He also has very big hands-big man’s hands. When he shakes your hand you don’t think he’s a guard. He could palm the ball like Dr. J, which made his ball control even greater.

Playing against Michael Jordan is an all-day challenge. The fist thing he does is get you off balance. His fakes are so sharp and real you have to go for them. That’s the difference between Michael Jordan and everybody else: You don’t know what is real and what’s a fake. He can seem to be driving and then pop up for the jumper, or he can seem to be about to shoot and then go right around you for the score. When he fakes, you have to go for it, you can’t lay off him because he can follow through on everything he threatens to do and he can make just about any shot. And he’s so smart that just when you think you’ve got him figured out and he’s faking all the time, all of a sudden he will keep you honest and just explode on you in one motion like you’re not even there.

You have to honor his fakes and respect everything. Other players, you don’t take them seriously. A driver faking a shot, who’s going to go for that? A jump shooter who’s faking to drive, you know this is a fake so you stay with him. And if he does drive you can catch up with him because this is not his game. But Michael Jordan does it all. First, he’s a driver. That’s his first option: to drive. He will flash by you in a moment, so to prevent an easy lay-up you have to try to cut him off when he moves. However if you are quick enough to get in his lane he will pull up and shoot, he has that option. You will be low and off balance, you’ll have used up all your mobility just to get to your spot, and you’ll have to watch him stop and put the ball up because you can’t move. You have to be balanced to jump and he has gotten you off balance. And he will get a lot of points off you because his shot doesn’t miss often.

[OldSchoolBBall]

Continued...


Michael Jordan is a very creative player; you cannot predict what he is going to do. Even when you think you’ve got his shot blocked at the last minute he will change it. You can never think, Well, I’ve cornered him, I’ve trapped him, there’s nothing there this time. I have forced him into many difficult situations over the years and he has come out of them. Once he’s under the basket, there’s no way for a 6’6” guard to shoot over a man five inches taller than he is. We wait for these kinds of opportunities! But Michael Jordan would come inside and hang in the air. I knew I had him blocked-I could feel the basketball-but he would just hang there. Where most other players would try to force it over me, Jordan would realize there was nowhere to go and *on his way down* take the ball back and pass off-maybe to his man behind the three-point line. I’m coming down, he’s coming down, and he still makes something happen. I thought I had a block, now they’ve got three points.

If a player like Michael Jordan catches me one-on-one outside, I will back off. I’ll give him the jumper rather than have him go by me for an easy inside slam. When I see that he has truly taken off for his jump shot, *then* I will contest it. Even though I don’t have a chance to block it I will run at him just to distract him.

But on top of being physically gifted, Michael Jordan is smart. He won’t settle for an open jumper. Most players will, they like taking open shots. But Michael Jordan is a very intelligent player and he wants better than I’m giving him, so he dribbles toward me. It’s unusual for a guard to dribble *toward* a big man if he wants to shoot a jumper. But this is Michael Jordan. If I’m going to let him shoot I back off some more, and some more, until he’s even closer to the basket and has an even easier shot. I can’t keep giving ground, and with every step backward I’m more off balance. Sooner or later I’ll have to come to him, at which point he can either shoot before I get there or drive around me. It’s a very subtle, very impressive set of decisions he makes.

I understood his game very well because if I were an outside player these are the decisions I would make ,the moves I would use. I’m an in-between player too. When I play against a guy who is almost my size I just post him up; when I play big guys I go outside, make a move, use my fakes, and come at them. I know I can’t do it in the paint but on the outside I have room. I stay on the attack, I don’t let the defender make my decisions for me, I make my own decisions.

One time when Jordan was posting up I even saw him do the Dream Shake. That’s my move, where you fake left in deep toward the basket, shake your man, take a step back, and turn around quickly for a fade-away jumper. I was watching on TV and Jordan got the ball and made the move and it looked so natural that I really couldn’t claim it, he took what the defensive man gave him and used it perfectly. How could I say that was mine? That came naturally out of Michael Jordan.

When he came into the league Michael Jordan was criticized for being selfish. People used to complain all the time that he was shooting too much, twenty-eight times a game, and not getting his teammates involved. I never bought into that premise. Michael Jordan is a team player, he plays to win. When he takes his shot it’s because he thinks he can score. And he can! He was just taking the first responsibility of the offense-creating opportunities. When he gets the ball he can pass of score or finish the play. Early in his career he was doing the work of two or three people, first in bringing the ball downcourt, then either shooting or passing; he was controlling the tempo of the game. And he still does. Inside, outside, he plays guard, he plays forward, he plays center-and he always does damage. I’ve seen big men not even try to stop him, they get out of his way; he explodes on them and they don’t want to get dunked on.

[coin24]

4 out of 10... not even a winning %:lol

PA THE TIC

[light]

The thing about this is that it doesn't matter.

Even when LeBron is the consensus GOAT there will still be old timers saying Jordan was better. MJ got the same treatment by Kareem and Wilt fans. Those people - like Hakeem - clinging on to the past, are irrelevant.

My grandfather still says Oscar is the GOAT. Okay..? Doesn't even matter.

[Jasper]

I agree with Akeem , but Lebron's floor vision might be the best in the history of the league.