When it comes to NBA history, no era is more celebrated or more scrutinized than the 1990s. With all the debates about then versus now, the 1990s are always considered one of the “Golden Eras” of basketball. Everywhere you look during the 1990s, an all-time great and legend of the game stares back at you with a moment in history that will never be erased due to how much this period of time meant to the game. Not to mention this era was host to the greatest player in NBA history as he took the game, which was popular domestically and made it a global phenomenon.
As you have seen us do in the past with players at a certain position like point guard or power forward, we are going to be building an NBA player worthy of being called the GOAT. I will do this by using select attributes from different players whose game was at its peak during the 1990s. Now, most attributes will belong to one player which is to be expected when that player dominates the competition like Michael Jordan did during the 90s. However, there are plenty of other players sprinkled in to complete our build and create one of the greatest players the NBA has ever seen.
Now, let’s get to building the greatest NBA player from the 1990s decade.
Scoring – Michael Jordan
We kick things off by getting the easiest selection for any category out of the way. When it comes to scoring, nobody in NBA history did it better than Michael Jordan. When it came to the mid-range shot or attacking the rim, Jordan was second to none and remains that way 30 years later. With his NBA record 10 scoring titles, seven of which came from 1990 thru 1998, Jordan was the greatest scorer that the 90s, or any era, has ever seen.
From 1990 thru 1998, Jordan missed almost two full seasons when he decided to walk away from the game in 1994 and 1995. Still, he averaged 30.8 PPG in his time during the 90s and shot 50.1% from the field while doing it. Critics will tell you that he shot the ball too much or that Jordan was a selfish player. Over 30.0 PPG on over 50.0% shooting paints an entirely different picture. That picture is that if you needed one play to save your life by putting the ball through the basket, you are putting the ball in Michael Jordan’s hand.
Passing – John Stockton
While Magic Johnson completely dominated the point guard position in the 1980s, the 1990s ushered in a new sheriff in charge at point guard. John Stockton is the NBA’s all-time leader in both assists and steals who did the bulk of his work to obtain those records during the 1990s. While not being a major scoring threat at all times, Stockton kept defenses on their toes with his incredible control of the ball, his pace, and his sensational court vision as he elevated every teammate he had around him.
From 1990 thru 1996, Stockton won seven straight assist titles to bring his career total to nine. Over the course of the entire decade, he averaged 11.9 APG with just 3.2 turnovers, and considering how much he controlled the ball, that is an impressive feat. With Jordan’s scoring and Stockton’s passing ability, this player is already well on his way to being the GOAT not only in the 1990s but in NBA history.
Handles – Penny Hardaway
There are many different directions we could go to take someone’s handles from the 1990s. Tim Hardaway was the revolutionary behind the Killer Crossover and used it to embarrass opponents nightly. When it comes to shot creation off the dribble and using that to his advantage as both a playmaker and scorer, it would be a different Hardaway that I am prepared to choose. Due to his size, speed, and the way he controlled the ball in his hands, Penny Hardaway was one of the tougher defensive assignments in the game during the 90s, making him an easy choice to add his handles to our 90s GOAT here today.
Hustle – Michael Jordan
In the NBA, hustle, and heart can only be measured by the amount of effort a player puts in on the court. When building a player that is to be considered the greatest in NBA history, there is only one man from the 1990s, or any time period for that matter, who is the correct choice. Michael Jordan’s insatiable appetite for winning made him the competitor in NBA history. It also made him the hardest-working player on the court whether he was feeling 100 percent or not.
In the past, there has been criticism of the things Jordan expected from his teammates on the court and in practice. Jordan wasn’t asking his team to do anything that he wasn’t already doing and leading by example. Jordan’s hustle on both ends of the court is a big part of the reason why so many see him as the GOAT. It is why he was able to lead his team to six NBA championships in eight seasons and be named Finals MVP six times. Jordan’s hustle and effort on the court would not only be my selection from the 90s, but it would be my pick from any time period in NBA history.
Mentality – Michael Jordan
Having a strong mentality when building our perfect player from the 1990s will be essential to success. We want a player that had to battle through things earlier in their career before they reached the mountain top. We want a player that can overcome adversity when their backs are against the wall. Everything will not go according to plan every year, and players have to be able to face that fact mentally, physically, and emotionally.
Early on in his career, Michael Jordan had to get through some rough times with the Chicago Bulls before he could handle success. In just his second season, Jordan suffered a broken foot that limited him to 18 games. Despite the injury, Jordan came back and had the highest-scoring playoff game in NBA history with 63 points. Before he was a six-time NBA champion and Finals MVP, he was getting beat down by the Detroit Pistons, Boston Celtics, and Milwaukee Bucks. He responded by hitting the weight room and getting stronger until he could beat them. That is easily the type of mindset we need to instill within our player to call him the GOAT.
Basketball IQ – Michael Jordan
There are many ways I could have gone to select a player’s basketball IQ for our player. John Stockton was one of the most intelligent point guards in NBA history and knew how to manage a game like he knows conspiracy theories. Tim Hardaway, Clyde Drexler, and David Robinson are some other candidates as well that were as intelligent as any other players on the court during that time period. However, there was only one player who knew exactly what he wanted to do and did it more often than all of the above-mentioned candidates.
Michael Jordan’s basketball IQ can hardly be measured by looking at his stats, however incredible they may be. Yes, his scoring numbers were astronomical but it was the different ways he manipulated his opponents and defenders by outsmarting them that made it so special to watch. The same can be said for his defensive ability. He watched his opponent like a hawk and studied his moves and tendencies before he would strike to force an abundance of turnovers and miscues. Jordan’s gifts were just as cerebral as they were physical which is what makes his basketball IQ an easy selection to add to our player.
Shooting – Michael Jordan
Ok, at this point, I understand it probably looks like I am a Michael Jordan fanboy and just trolling with his selection in every category aside from a few. Bear with me for a few moments while I explain taking Jordan’s shooting over so many other worthy candidates. Let me say I would have no qualms about having someone like Reggie Miller, Dale Ellis, or even Detlef Schrempf and Mark Price when it comes to shooting. They would all be perfect selections for my player if I wanted him to be a three-point shooter, but I don’t.
As great as those players are from beyond the arc, they are not nearly the shooters Michael Jordan was from the mid-range. Let’s not forget Jordan could shoot the three as well, but it was never taught to him growing up, and it was considered a bad shot that got you benched until the 2010s came around. For me, I would take the greatest mid-range shooter in NBA history over some great three-point shooters who do not have a lot to offer in terms of volume. Percentages say that Jordan’s mid-range is one of the more efficient shots during that time period. I’ll take that and his ability to knock down open threes easily.
Defense – Hakeem Olajuwon
Aren’t you glad I didn’t say Michael Jordan? Well, that is because arguably the greatest defender in NBA history resided in the 1990s with the Houston Rockets. Hakeem Olajuwon was one of the most feared interior presences during his peak as a player on both sides of the ball. He had a habit of not only sending shot attempts flying but forcing offenses to completely change their game plans over the course of a game multiple times.
What makes Hakeem one of the greatest defenders in NBA history isn’t just his ability to block shots but his ability to be versatile when the situation arises. Olajuwon had zero issues with adapting to the situations as they came and could even handle much shiftier and smaller forwards and guards on the perimeter. With all of the other attributes we have accumulated thus far, adding Olajuwon’s defense will make this player the ultimate two-way legend.
Finishing – Michael Jordan
For 15 years, Michael Jordan made human beings believe it was possible to fly. Jordan soared through the air with both force and grace, able to fend off all of the physical punishment that was inevitably thrown his way to try and stop him. It looked almost effortless whenever Jordan would take off for a high-flying maneuver that usually ended with a layup or dunk at the rim. Whether it was a fast break, in heavy traffic, or while taking a hit from the defense, Jordan’s finishing was second to none during the 1990s. Adding this to our player with just two attributes left is the perfect way to continue our list.
Athleticism – Michael Jordan
Just to be forewarned, there are two player traits left on this list, and Michael Jordan will be the selection for both of them. The first of these attributes is athleticism which nobody came close to Jordan during the 1990s. Of course, there were superb athletes during the decade, such as David Robinson, Shaq, Drexler, and more. None of them could match the athletic feats that Jordan was accomplishing every night on the court.
There aren’t many players who could contort their bodies while in midair and still soaring toward the rim, but Jordan could. His vertical leap was one of the highest ever recorded for an NBA player at 48 inches, officially. He also possessed superhuman stamina that allowed him to remain on the court for all 82 games in a season nine times in his career. Somebody who can achieve the things Jordan did athletically and has the stamina to do it every night is an easy add-on to our player’s already perfect build.
Clutch – Michael Jordan
Not only was Michael Jordan the most clutch player during the 1990s, but he is the most clutch player in NBA history. He is the owner of nine buzz-beating game-winning shots in his NBA career, an NBA record that still stands today. What made Jordan so great with the game on the line is the fact that opponents and defenses knew where the ball was going and still couldn’t stop it from happening.
There is not a single player in NBA history that I would want taking the last shot in a close game over Michael Jordan. Being clutch isn’t always about offense, either. Take Jordan’s last shot in Utah over Bryon Russell, for example. Many people like to leave out the fact that the shot was set up by a Jordan strip of Karl Malone in the low post the play before. Michael Jordan was just as clutch on defense as he was on offense, able to lock up his opponent to give his team a puncher’s chance in the end. With the final addition of Jordan’s clutch gene to our player, we can confidently say that this was the perfect build.
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