The NBA today has changed beyond recognition from what it was about two or three decades ago. During the 1980s and the 1990s, forming a superteam was something that fans rarely saw. The closest thing to a superteam was the Chicago Bulls during the 1990s, which had Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Dennis Rodman on the roster.
Fast forward to 2022. It’s the era of the superteams. Over the last few seasons, fans have seen a lot of superteams being formed in the NBA. From the Big 3 of the Miami Heat to Kevin Durant joining the Golden State Warriors or the Brooklyn Nets, there has been a plethora of teams that could be considered a superteam.
Obviously, by playing in those teams, the legacies of certain players have taken a huge hit as well. LBJ and KD are most notably criticized for their decisions to form a superteam.
Charles Barkley Explains Why Michael Jordan Is Better Than Many Current NBA Stars
MJ won six NBA Championships during the 1990s. He surely had one of the best teams in the league at the time, but as per NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley, there was a striking difference in the potential superteam that MJ had.
Via The Ringer:
“Michael Jordan didn’t win for a long time. He didn’t say, ‘Hey I can’t beat the Pistons.’ He got better as a player. That’s what really funny about these guys today, they don’t win a championship in first 3 or 4 years it’s, ‘Well I need some help!’ Everyone needs some help.”
As Chuck explained, MJ and the Bulls struggled for several years against the Detroit Pistons, but it didn’t lead to Jordan asking players like Larry Bird and Magic Johnson to form a superteam. That’s something which MJ fans will forever uphold when it comes to His Airness’ title as the GOAT.
