Among NBA legends, Michael Jordan is perhaps the most revered. There’s always been a certain aura and mystique that’s always surrounded Jordan and his legacy. There is no question that he is a legendary athlete.
The widely held opinion by fans is that Michael Jordan is the GOAT and that he has surpassed everyone else. He’s won everything possible in the sport of basketball, and his accolades speak for themselves. However, Michael Jordan himself doesn’t believe that he is better than the other greats who have played the game. It seems as though his belief is that comparing legends to one another and debating who is better is “an unfair justice to the art” of basketball.
Michael Jordan has expressed similar sentiments before, and he once refused to be called the GOAT because he felt as though calling him the greatest would disrespect the players that came before him. In some ways that makes sense: every era has different conditions for success, and it’s not necessarily wise to compare players without taking that into account. However, it is clear that Michael Jordan held a lot of value to the Chicago Bulls on and off the court, and the team knew that. His 1998 contract from the Bulls is still the most expensive per year salary ever, and he certainly deserved it. Michael Jordan made the Bulls a dynasty and etched his mark on NBA history forever.
The GOAT debate will always continue though, despite Jordan’s desire for the contrary. Even today, we have people who argue that players such as Kobe Bryant or LeBron James have an argument to be the GOAT. There are certainly other generation-defining players who have played in the league, and they all deserve their respect. Michael Jordan holds a special place in many people’s hearts though, and there will always be people who laud him for being the most dominant player ever.
