Michael Jordan is often revered for how good his prime was, in the 90s, Jordan was unstoppable for eight years, winning six championships and taking a break from basketball for the two years he didn’t win it. MJ was a beast, and one of the things used to downplay his legacy is the fact he didn’t perhaps enjoy the same longevity that LeBron James has managed.
However, what made MJ super impressive is the fact that he played in almost every game he could. In a 12-season span, Jordan missed just seven games for the Bulls, barring the one season he was too injured to play. The Bulls’ best season, the year they had a 72-10 record, is an excellent example of what a beast Jordan was, he played all the games and won almost everything there was to win.
And although his stint with the Washington Wizards doesn’t count in the eyes of many, Jordan showed there just how willing he was to play as much as he could despite his age. His teammate on those teams, Tyronn Lue, spoke about what MJ was like in conversation with Quentin Richardson and Darius Miles.
“Man, it was incredible. Just, being 40 years old, playing back-to-backs. He played 82 games. First one there, always called the breakfast club. He was always getting his lift in. He wanted to practice every day and play 82 games at 40. On one leg. Like, come on, man.”
Jordan played all 82 games in his final season and averaged 20.0 points per game, to go along with 6.1 rebounds, and 3.8 assists, doing it all on 45% from the field. The numbers may look pedestrian compared to the other things MJ did in his career, but the GOAT at times doesn’t get enough credit for being as good as he was, even at the age of 40.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oc8tewsEy1Y
