Michael Jordan Gets Honest On Why He Can’t Be Called The GOAT: “Bill Russell Won 11, Does That Make Bill Russell Better Than Me?”

Michael Jordan got honest about the standards of the GOAT conversation, asking if Bill Russell is greater than him due to ring count.

3 Min Read

Credit: Fadeaway World

• Michael Jordan doesn’t enjoy the GOAT debate

• The six-time champion used a Bill Russell example to compare the questionable merits of the debate

• Jordan is widely considered the GOAT

Michael Jordan has had people crowning him as the greatest basketball player of all time for years. But the six-time champion doesn’t enjoy the debate himself, saying it’s unfair to compare players that never got a chance to compete against each other.

“You’re never gonna say ‘who’s the greatest of all time?’ to me. I think that’s more for PR and for selling stories. I never played against Wilt Chamberlain or Jerry West, and to now say that one is greater than the others is unfair. 

Jordan used a terrific example by comparing his ring count to Bill Russell‘s and how pointless it is to compare their accomplishments to the other.

“I won six championships, Bill Russell won 11. Does that make me better than him or him better than me? No. We played in different eras. When you try to equate who’s the greatest of all time, it’s an unfair parallel.”

As long as the NBA exists, there will be an inherent need for people to rank the greatest players of all time. It’ll never be objective or the same for all, but it’ll keep happening. 


Is It Fair To Crown A GOAT?

Jordan clearly doesn’t like the conversation about who’s the greatest of all time. Well, he probably knows that most people default to him as the answer. Despite the success of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Russell before him, or LeBron James after him, there are plenty of reasons why Jordan is considered the GOAT of basketball.

He averaged 30.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 2.3 steals over the course of his career. He won six championships and earned Finals MVP in every single Finals win. He made 14 All-Star teams, 11 All-NBA teams, nine All-Defensive teams, and even won Defensive Player of the Year. He has 10 scoring titles and five regular season MVPs to his name. 

It’s hard to argue against Michael for the top spot. Unless we see LeBron stack consecutive titles in Years 21 and 22 of his career, it seems everyone else will always seem tiers below Jordan when it comes to GOATs.

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Ishaan Bhattacharya is a content manager for Fadeaway World from New Delhi, India. With his expertise in NBA content creation, Ishaan brings a wealth of experience to his role, contributing to the site's authority and reach within the basketball community. Over the last year, Ishaan has interviewed Ray Allen and Mark Tatum, while also covering the 2023 NBA Abu Dhabi Games which saw the Dallas Mavericks take on the Minnesota Timberwolves.Since joining Fadeaway World in March 2022, Ishaan Bhattacharya has become known for his unique perspective on the NBA. He consistently delivers this insight through his daily news coverage and detailed opinion pieces on the most significant topics in the league.Before his tenure at Fadeaway World, Ishaan worked in corporate communications, where he serviced prominent sports brands, including NBA India, Sports18, Amazon Prime Sports, and Royal Challengers Bangalore. This experience in strategic communications for leading sports entities has enhanced his ability to craft impactful narratives and connect with a global audience.A true MFFLer (Mavs Fan for Life, for the uninitiated), Ishaan is a massive fan of the Dallas Mavericks. When he is not upset about Jalen Brunson walking in free agency, you can see Ishaan as an avid gamer and content creator. His passion for basketball extends beyond the Mavericks, as evidenced by his thoughtfully curated NBA Mount Rushmore, featuring LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Bill Russell—each representing distinct eras and bringing their unique qualities to the game.Featured On: ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Bleacher ReportYahoo Sports, NBA, Fox Sports, The Spun
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