There are not many—if any—takes these days that haven’t been debated over the years about the illustrious career of Michael Jordan. Some days it feels like a few daily sports talk shows are based around arguing over Jordan’s accomplishments compared to players in today’s game.
With that in mind, former All-Star big man Rasheed Wallace did the impossible earlier this month on the Sheed & Tyler show by finding a new hot take, arguing that Jordan actually was more of a threat in the twilight of his career with the Washington Wizards than the rest of his career with the Chicago Bulls.
“I think he was a little more dangerous when he was with the Wizards,” Wallace said. “He didn’t have the athleticism that we were used to seeing M.J. have. … His angles were a little more sharp. He was a strong two, three guard. He wasn’t going to move them lightly. His shot became more dangerous. He became more solid as that veteran player in his years in Washington.”
Jordan spent the final two years of his career with Washington from 2001 to ’03 before hanging up the sneakers at the end of the 2002-03 campaign. In 142 games, Jordan averaged 21.2 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game—a big dip from his career averages of 30.1 points, 6.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists per contest.
In conflict of Wallace’s argument, Jordan actually shot the ball worse with the Wizards compared to his career averages, registering a 43.9% field-goal percentage (51% career average) and 24.1% three-point clip (32.7% career average) in his tenure there.
“Don’t leave him open. He’s still out there talking s—. but he’s dropping dimes,” Wallace said. “The only thing he was missing was [athleticism].”
The wins were also missing, as the Wizards missed the playoffs both years.
News
Paul George Calls Out Anthony Edwards’ ‘Disrespectful’ Take on Michael Jordan’s Era
Philadelphia 76ers star Paul George took some issue with how Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards characterized the state of the NBA during the height of the Michael Jordan era. Speaking to the Wall Street Journal’s Lane Florsheim, Edwards said that…
Magic Johnson in Perfect Position to Overpower Michael Jordan as the NBA’s Richest Billionaire
Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan are two of the best examples of how the ideal life of an athlete can be. Not just on the court, but outside of that, they have used their resources and earned their billionaire status….
LeBron James Once Issued a Stern Warning to LaVar Ball: “Keep My Kids’ Name Out of Your Mouth”
LaVar Ball has ruffled many feathers in the past, something that often kept him out of the good graces of most big names in the NBA community. LeBron James is no exception to this. In 2017, the then-Cavaliers star delivered…
LeBron James Reveals Team USA ‘Went at Each Other’ in Practice After Barely Beating South Sudan by 1 Point
LeBron James recently shared the story of the nail-biting exhibition game where Team USA faced off against South Sudan. In the most recent episode of “The Shop,” which was taped in Paris in 2024 for the Olympics, LeBron James disclosed…
Dominique Wilkins Claims Playing Against Michael Jordan Was Like Facing Someone “Possessed”
Former NBA star Dominique Wilkins is widely recognized for his remarkable achievements, including winning the NBA Dunk Contest in 1985 and 1990. Despite these accolades, he still considers facing Michael Jordan one of his career’s most challenging experiences. Wilkins recently…
LeBron James’ ex-teammate gives arguments about why the Lakers star isn’t the GOAT
Ray Allen argued that LeBron James isn’t the greatest player because he doesn’t tick certain boxes to be considered the sport’s best. The title of the NBA’s GOAT has continually pitted Michael Jordan against LeBron James and each other’s supporters…
End of content
No more pages to load