Michael Jordan dazzled everyone as a rookie, prompting GOAT comparisons from day one.
Michael Jordan showed the world he will be the greatest of all time from day one. Legendary coach Bobby Knight was already calling the Bulls star the greatest basketball player he had ever seen before he made it into the NBA.
“If I were going to pick the 3 or 4 best athletes I’ve ever seen play basketball, he’d be one of them. I think he’s the best athlete I’ve ever seen play basketball. If I were gonna pick 3-4 with the best ability I’d ever seen play the game, he’d be one of them. If I’m gonna pick the best competitor that I’ve ever seen play, he’d be one of them.
Jordan mesmerized NBA fans around the country with his playstyle after being drafted in 1984. As we came towards the ’90s and Jordan reached his prime, he globalized the game and made the NBA the internationally popular league it is now.
His impact on and off the court means it’s nigh impossible for anyone to dethrone him from that spot. When Isiah Thomas can admit that his biggest rival changed the game for everyone who came after them, it is another testament to how great Jordan was.
Michael Jordan Was A Dominant Rookie
What Jordan did in his rookie season hasn’t been replicated by any NBA player since. He averaged 28.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 5.9 assists for the Bulls as a rookie in what many still consider the greatest rookie season of all time.
Not only did Jordan easily win Rookie of the Year that season, but he also finished sixth in MVP voting. This was a historic feat because Jordan finished with more first-place votes than Magic Johnson, Moses Malone, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Isiah Thomas.
Rookie Jordan knew how to put up numbers, even having better stats as a rookie than some modern MVP seasons like LeBron James’ dominant 2012 MVP win. However, he hadn’t figured out the winning, as his Bulls finished 38-44 in his rookie season. We all know Jordan got the hang of winning by the ’90s and dominated the league in a way we may never see again.
