The NBA today gets its fair share of criticism, mostly because the league leans heavily toward offense. Games in the past have typically ended with scores hovering around 100 points, but it’s not uncommon to see teams score close to 100 points at halftime in some games.
Between a million fouls and enough three-pointers to make Stephen Curry dizzy, many fans wonder how some of the greatest players in NBA history, like Michael Jordan, would fare in the current era.
On the “Road Trippin'” podcast, James weighed in, boldly claiming that if Jordan played in today’s NBA, he wouldn’t be averaging 50 points per game, as many believe.
Thinking someone’s average is 50 is disrespectful
LeBron is a student of the game. He understands the history of basketball and the players who paved the way for the modern era of basketball. So when he says it’s disrespectful to assume Jordan averaged 50 points per game, people should take note.
With advances in training, nutrition, and technology, today’s athletes are getting bigger, faster, and stronger. The pace of the game has also sped up significantly, with teams focusing on speed and three-point shooting rather than traditional post-ups and isolations.
So while Jordan is undoubtedly one of the greatest scorers in NBA history, assuming he could score more than he did during his era might be unfair to the players currently dominating the game.
“No one in our league averages 50 points a game,” LeBron shared.
“No matter how great you were in your era, no matter how great you were in any era you played, it’s disrespectful. If that’s the case, I believe players in their era, the era they played in, averaged The score will be 50.”
Can MJ succeed?
However, it would be unwise to bet on Jordan not being able to accomplish such a feat. Known for his fierce competitiveness and unparalleled work ethic, Jordan always found a way to elevate his game and achieve great things.
In addition, the Jordan era was more physical and defensive, and the rules now favor offensive players. This may improve his scoring ability. Ultimately, this is all speculation since we can never truly compare players from different eras.