For Redick, it’s clear that the talent pool of the NBA wasn’t at its best during Jordan’s time. After all, Jordan entered the league when there were only 23 teams in the NBA, 11 of which came in the Eastern Conference. Thus, per Redick, this should play a factor in how the Bulls legend — and the widely-acknowledged greatest basketball player of all time — is perceived.
“I think it’s fair to just say there are different tiers of greatness. … I’ll say this with Michael Jordan and I don’t mean this to be controversial but like everybody talks about the context of this era. … Jordan was drafted during his heyday and six teams were added to the NBA. There were 90 players added to the NBA. … Does that not water down the regular season to a degree?” Redick explained during his appearance on The Big Podcast With Shaq.
Indeed, the talent pool of the NBA became a bit diluted as they rapidly expanded during Michael Jordan’s time in the association. From 23 teams during the 1984-85 season, the NBA added six teams in the span of a span of 15 years — creating 90 extra roster spots, as JJ Redick said. This then has the effect of opening up the league to players who may not have been NBA-caliber prior to expansion.
Redick then added that the league’s plan to expand even further to 32 teams would then have a similar effect, although it has become clear for some time that the league has as much talent as ever and could use 30 extra roster spots to further spread out this talent.
“If we add two teams in two or three years we get a Vegas franchise or a Seattle franchise, you’re not telling me that the league for a little bit is going to be a little watered down?” Redick added.
Michael Jordan and the Bulls reign supreme
As salient as the points JJ Redick made were, he did not dare minimize the achievements Michael Jordan and the Bulls had in the 1990s. Sure, the regular season might have been more of a cakewalk. But the heights Jordan and the Bulls reached in the playoffs during their heyday is no joke.
Winning six championships in the span of eight seasons may not be replicated in today’s NBA; winning one is already difficult enough as it is, especially in today’s NBA that seems to have as much parity as ever. So for the Bulls to win three straight titles on two separate occasions puts them in the most elite of pantheons.
Expansion or not, the Bulls still had to win four separate playoff series every year, and against teams led by future Hall of Famers at that. JJ Redick made sure not to cast any shadow of doubt over the legitimacy of what Michael Jordan achieved in a career that makes him GOAT-worthy.
The case for LeBron James
At this juncture, LeBron James has the greatest GOAT case among every player not named Michael Jordan or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. James may not have as many rings as those aforementioned legends, but the way James has remained at the top of his game deep into his career is unparalleled.
James has the greatest longevity among every player in NBA history, and it isn’t particularly close. For the Los Angeles Lakers star, longevity isn’t just about being part of an NBA roster. He is still an All-NBA-caliber player despite being close to 40 years old, and for JJ Redick, this is what gives James his biggest edge in GOAT debates.
“What makes him (LeBron James) great, a bunch of things, but what has made him great is the fact that he’s done it now for 21 years at the highest level,” Redick said. “He averaged 25 or more for 20 straight years, no one’s had more than 15 of those years like that.”
Nonetheless, GOAT debates will forever be subjective, and, as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar said in the past, there can be multiple GOATs. But you can never go wrong with picking either Michael Jordan or LeBron James, that’s for certain.
