Michael Wilbon: “There is no one now who would have dominated the 80’s and the 90’s. NO ONE. As great as KD and LeBron are, they wouldn’t have dominated his [Isiah Thomas’] Pistons, Michael’s Bulls, the Celtics, and the Lakers – they’re not dominating ANYBODY back then, athleticism evolution or not.” (Full Video Above)
Listen to Michael Wilbon and Jalen Rose discuss how they believe modern NBA players would fare in the NBA’s of the 80’s and 90’s, and conversely, how Michael Jordan would perform in the league if he were in his prime right now.
With ESPN’s ‘The Last Dance’ documentary saturating the sports world amidst the coronavirus pandemic that has put all sports leagues on lockdown, the GOAT debates have raged on when comparing how LeBron and Jordan have benefitted and been hurt by the eras in which they played.
Wilbon said nobody in today’s NBA would have ‘dominated’ in the 80’s and 90’s, including the generation’s two best players Kevin Durant and LeBron. Even though Wilbon concedes that there has been an ‘evolution of athleticism’ Wilbon says KD and LeBron aren’t dominating the Jordan Bulls, ‘Bad Boy’ Pistons, Larry Bird Celtics, and Magic Johnson ‘Showtime’ Lakers.
Check out the full video above as Wilbon and Rose speculate on how many points Jordan would average per game in 2020.