Which current NBA stars would Chicago Bulls GOAT shooting guard Michael Jordan be able to compare closest to all things considered?
Among the players currently in the NBA, there is one player that clearly ranks among the top five in the history of the league. But it’s obviously difficult to find a spot on comparison in the modern age of the NBA with the Chicago Bulls all-time great shooting guard Michael Jordan. Finding a comparison for the player that is likely the greatest in the history of the NBA is clearly a challenging feat.
However, there are a handful of players that are either active in the NBA or that fairly recently retired that have ample similarities to what Jordan brought to the table in his hay day in a Bulls uniform. Unless someone starts winning back-to-back-to-back titles out of nowhere, or the Golden State Warriors pick up their dynasty again starting next season, it’s hard to do what those great Bulls teams did from the 1990’s.
Jordan’s individual greatness really started to shine through in the 1980’s, as he was pushing the Bulls further and further in the playoffs against tough competition in the Eastern Conference. He got his first MVP honors to cap the 1987-88 season. And although he didn’t win consecutive MVP’s to cap the 1980’s, Jordan did get the Sporting News MVP in 1988-89. He definitely should’ve won MVP in that 1988-89 season since he led the NBA in player efficiency rating, box plus/minus rating, win shares, and value over replacement player rating.
Characteristics that were used to build this list includes total number of championships, scoring ability, overall playoff success, major individual accolades, and similarities in position and role. Longevity and superstardom help out as Jordan’s greatness is hard to replicate in the modern game without those factors.
Here’s a look into the three modern NBA players that compare closest to that of MJ during his best years with those great Bulls dynasty teams of the 1990’s.