Jordans First Step

[rodman91]

Even 38-40 years old jordan gave a lot of damage with that first step to much younger legs like Garnett,Richardson,Artest...

Even without first step,in Late Bulls years he was still one of the quickest guys around. It's quite weird that 35 years old guy as quick as new generation.

Another thing usually unnoticed about Jordan, he didn't need crossovers much.He was changing his directions simply but very quick & sudden so it was probably more effective than a crossover.J.Kidd had a poor version of it when he was younger.

[brwnman]

Jordan blowing by Allan Houston at age 35 with Houston (26 years old) giving him about 6 feet of space to boot:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rb0BJ1or_gc#t=3m33s

Guess that was "shit defense." Couldn't be that Jordan MADE defenders look like shit, right? A couple of my favorite examples of MJ's first step:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YT9P_OY5bpc#t=1m06s (again, defender about 5-6 feet off him, and Jordan goes from a standstill to full speed in the blink of an eye. Look how quickly he lowers himself and accelerates to full speed)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dARp3MYkeQM#t=1m42s (age 33 here, again with the defender giving him 5+ feet of space and he instantly explodes past them)

.

Why are you getting mad? It was sh*t D; get over it. When a player as great as Michael Jordon is there, you give him one thing and take away other things. Playing one on one is a bad idea. And maybe the defense was forcing him right (towards the baseline in most cases), but IN THAT VIDEO, the execution of the help defense was atrocious. That's not to say that defense in that era was terrible, or teams weer garbage, etc. I'm talking about FROM THAT VIDEO! No need to get your panties in a bunch...

[OldSchoolBBall]

Even 38-40 years old jordan gave a lot of damage with that first step to much younger legs like Garnett,Richardson,Artest...

Even without first step,in Late Bulls years he was still one of the quickest guys around. It's quite weird that 35 years old guy as quick as new generation.

Another thing usually unnoticed about Jordan, he didn't need crossovers much.He was changing his directions simply but very quick & sudden so it was probably more effective than a crossover.J.Kidd had a poor version of it when he was younger.

True. Here are a couple of my favorite examples of Wizards Jordan's first step:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKKhY...elated#t=2m13s (blows by Shawn Marion - reputedly great defender - despite Marion giving ground)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHk-wBYNMEs#t=1m09s (you can actually picture him telling the defender ""hey, I may be 39 years old, but you still cant play me that tight and not expect to get blown by." lol Dude got around defenders so easily regardless of how aggressively they were playing or how intense they looked, like that guy tried to do.)

[elementally morale]

[whosegameisit]

The little hesitation freezes the defender for a split second. Both Kobe and MJ are very good at utilizing it.

Kobe explaining the move:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OpWb...C65F5C#t=0m40s

[whosegameisit]

this

[LA_Showtime]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKKhY...elated#t=2m13s (blows by Shawn Marion - reputedly great defender - despite Marion giving ground)

Right...

[OldSchoolBBall]

Right...

Right what? You telling me that Marion was never considered a great defender?

[eliteballer]

Jordan like all players in the 80's to mid 90's carried significantly less muscle mass than the players today. They all look fast, especially when you're just watching highlights.

Imagine how much quicker LeBron for example would be if he slimmed down to the same weight as Jordan.

[rodman91]

T-Mac also had one of the quickest first step.He had it quicker than Kobe,Vince. Wade has too.

[nightprowler10]

Jordan like all players in the 80's to mid 90's carried significantly less muscle mass than the players today. They all look fast, especially when you're just watching highlights.

Imagine how much quicker LeBron for example would be if he slimmed down to the same weight as Jordan.

This is a good point. His strength with that frame was so amazing.

[DMAVS41]

Right what? You telling me that Marion was never considered a great defender?

GOAT owning prime Marion.

And people think he'd struggle in the game today.

[Samurai Swoosh]

Jordan's first step was literally ridiculous. He was like the road runner. And then you hadd his length and size to it. He had the motor of a young Allen Iverson / Derrick Rose on a 6'6 SUPER athletic frame.

As a 38 - 40 year old. It wasn't Jordan's first step that was killing the then new generation. It was his savvy ball fakes, jab steps, and he knew which feet to attack on a defensive player.

[Warriors fan]

True. Here are a couple of my favorite examples of Wizards Jordan's first step:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKKhY...elated#t=2m13s (blows by Shawn Marion - reputedly great defender - despite Marion giving ground)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHk-wBYNMEs#t=1m09s (you can actually picture him telling the defender ""hey, I may be 39 years old, but you still cant play me that tight and not expect to get blown by." lol Dude got around defenders so easily regardless of how aggressively they were playing or how intense they looked, like that guy tried to do.)

The second video was good but Marion wasn't even playing defense in the first video he just let him go.

[The Next Jordan]

T-Mac also had one of the quickest first step.He had it quicker than Kobe,Vince. Wade has too.

Vince didn't really have a quick first step, he just took long strides.