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  1. #1
    NBA Legend and Hall of Famer 1987_Lakers's Avatar
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    Default Has Michael Jordan ever said who was the best player he ever went up against?

    My guess would be Larry Bird, he had alot of success against young MJ.

  2. #2
    sahelanthropus fpliii's Avatar
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    Default Re: Has Michael Jordan ever said who was the best player he ever went up against?

    I'm pretty interested in this. It would also be nice if someone compiled lists from books/interviews of all-time greats revealing the top guys they went against, as well as their top 5 or so all-time (not sure if that's been done).

  3. #3
    soundcloud.com/agua-1 andgar923's Avatar
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    Default Re: Has Michael Jordan ever said who was the best player he ever went up against?

    Quote Originally Posted by 1987_Lakers
    My guess would be Larry Bird, he had alot of success against young MJ.
    In what aspect?

    I think he's given tons of praise to Mitch and even Blacman in the past. He's always held Bird to a great standard as well. He's also given props to some of the great defenders he's faced as well.

  4. #4
    Bringer of Rain AlphaWolf24's Avatar
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    Default Re: Has Michael Jordan ever said who was the best player he ever went up against?

    Quote Originally Posted by 1987_Lakers
    My guess would be Larry Bird, he had alot of success against young MJ.

    BAck in the dey I know he said Mitch Richmond was the hardest to guard


    but after Kooobe dropped 42 points on him in 1 1/2 quarters...you know it's #24

  5. #5
    Very good NBA starter tmacattack33's Avatar
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    Default Re: Has Michael Jordan ever said who was the best player he ever went up against?

    Probably Bird or Magic.

    But it wouldn't be too surprising if he said that he most hated playing against Penny Hardaway.

    He's the only guy (well Shaq too obviously, but Shaq and MJ weren't guarding each other ever) to knock MJ out in that whole 7 year span in the 90's.

    And MJ once said that he'd feel comfortable passing the torch onto Penny.

  6. #6
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    Default Re: Has Michael Jordan ever said who was the best player he ever went up against?


  7. #7
    Rivalries Never Die Faptastrophe's Avatar
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    Default Re: Has Michael Jordan ever said who was the best player he ever went up against?

    Quote Originally Posted by DFish
    http://i.imgur.com/A7XSl.jpg
    Your reading comprehension skills are bad and you should feel bad.

  8. #8
    raep tiem
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    Default Re: Has Michael Jordan ever said who was the best player he ever went up against?

    Quote Originally Posted by DFish
    I think a lot of guys could've been there, if they had Kobe's work ethic

  9. #9
    Local High School Star
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    Default Re: Has Michael Jordan ever said who was the best player he ever went up against?

    I've never seen him outright say who was the best player he ever played against. I know on the subject of the best player of all time, he's usually reluctant to say so citing that he never played against all the great players and that he isn't into comparing players from different eras.

    I'm sure people have read about his personal Dream Team but just in case somebody hasn't, you get an idea of who he respects the most from the guys he played against.

    MRS: Michael, I'm now giving you the opportunity to create the Dream Team of Michael Jordan, of all players of basketball. You're on the team, and you can name four other guys at different positions. That doesn't mean there aren't 20 other great guys for those positions, but you can explain your picks.

    JORDAN: That's a very good question. It's going to be somewhat biased because I didn't play back in the days of Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, some of the great stars prior to me. And it's very tough because I'm friends with a lot of players today.

    But if I had to pick a center, I would take Olajuwon. That leaves out Shaq, Patrick Ewing. It leaves out Wilt Chamberlain. It leaves out a lot of people. And the reason I would take Olajuwon is very simple: he is so versatile because of what he can give you from that position. It's not just his scoring, not just his rebounding or not just his blocked shots. People don't realize he was in the top seven in steals. He always made great decisions on the court. For all facets of the game, I have to give it to him.

    Power forward: There's James Worthy, whom I love, and he is a North Carolina guy. Karl Malone, Charles Barkley, whom I adore and is a good friend, and Charles Oakley. But in terms again of versatility, it has to be Larry Bird. The things he could provide to you all around: his demeanor, his work ethic and his versatility once again.

    (continued from page 5)


    The idea here is I would build a versatile, multitalented team able to do so many different things. When the defense comes at you, they have to guard a lot of different areas, and that makes Larry Bird the choice for me.

    Small forward: That is the toughest part because I played with one of the best small forwards, Scottie Pippen. He is as versatile as it comes. He handles the ball. He's a good defensive rebounder. I would be hard-pressed to pick someone else at the small forward position, even though I know Dr. J [Julius Erving] is sitting right there, too, especially in terms of excitement. And there's Dominique Wilkins, too. And you'd have to think about Elgin Baylor, even though I never saw Baylor play, or played with him. But from what I know, and what he could provide, it's Scottie Pippen. I know that's being biased to some degree. But I can't help it.

    Point guard: That's easy. Magic Johnson. Because of his height, you'd have a tough time defending him. It's a beautiful thing to see a 6-foot 9-inch guy rebound the ball and start the break.

    It would be the all-time tallest team, putting me at the two guard. And coming off the bench would be Jerry West to replace me. I love Jerry West.
    http://www.cigaraficionado.com/webfe...ordan_6189/p/6

    If I was to take a guess, based on having seen various interviews, collection of Jordan quotes I have, it could be any of Magic, Larry or Hakeem.

  10. #10
    NBA rookie of the year Da_Realist's Avatar
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    Default Re: Has Michael Jordan ever said who was the best player he ever went up against?

    His respect for Bird has always been sky high.

  11. #11
    Very good NBA starter Round Mound's Avatar
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    Default Re: Has Michael Jordan ever said who was the best player he ever went up against?

    Bird

    "Larry I Hear You Are Retiring...Thank Goodness...Im Tired of Seeing Your Face...Since You Ruined Alot of My Succesfull Games Against The Boston Celtics...."

  12. #12
    i don't like bananas
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    Default Re: Has Michael Jordan ever said who was the best player he ever went up against?

    i believe he once said he cudn

  13. #13
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    Default Re: Has Michael Jordan ever said who was the best player he ever went up against?

    He once said Kobe was very hard for him to guard and him and Pippen were trying to contain his youthful energy.

    He also said once he was trying to focus playing defense on Kobe so Kobe wouldn't dominate him.

    You can find that in a post game press conference when he used the term "dominate" about Kobe.

    It's on youtube.

  14. #14
    NBA sixth man of the year Indian guy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Has Michael Jordan ever said who was the best player he ever went up against?

    I have pretty much read every MJ book there is, and I don't think he's ever answered that question. Or even been asked that question on record. The question that was often asked to him was who guarded him best.

  15. #15
    Local High School Star DatAsh's Avatar
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    Default Re: Has Michael Jordan ever said who was the best player he ever went up against?

    Quote Originally Posted by 9erempiree
    He once said Kobe was very hard for him to guard and him and Pippen were trying to contain his youthful energy.

    He also said once he was trying to focus playing defense on Kobe so Kobe wouldn't dominate him.

    You can find that in a post game press conference when he used the term "dominate" about Kobe.

    It's on youtube.

    Didn't you say in another thread that you aren't a Kobe fan?

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