ESPN analyst Timothy Legler believes that a prime Michael Jordan would lead today’s league in scoring, putting up 40 points a night.
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When people talk about the greatest player to ever grace the league, Michael Jordan is the one name that is brought up in that conversation the most. Not only a dominant basketball player, but MJ is also one of the biggest sporting icons on the globe.
Considered as a basketball god, the Chicago Bulls megastar virtually achieved it all. In his 1,072 games illustrious career, Jordan was a 14-time All-Star, 5-time MVP, 6-time NBA champ, 6-time Finals MVP, and ended his distinguished career by being enshrined into the prestigious Hall-Of-Fame.
His Airness was easily one of the best players of his era, however, people often argue whether or not he would be able to put up the same legendary numbers in today’s league.
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“Michael Jordan would put up 40 points a night in today’s league”: Tim Legler
Current ESPN analyst and 10-year NBA veteran Timothy Legler, who had the “misfortune” of facing Mike, revealed how Michael would lead today’s league in scoring every single year. On his appearance on ESPN’s “Get Up”, the former 6-foot-4 shooting guard claimed:
“If you put Michael Jordan on the floor today, with the way the game is officiated. With what the league has gone for with the amount of space, with the lack of physical contact on ball-handlers, on guys finishing at the rim… There is absolutely no question in my mind that Michael Jordan would lead the league in scoring every single year (if played in today’s league), and he probably would be somewhere around 40 a night.”
“Because the one thing you could do to him, you could try at least was to try and get into his body. I mean, I was a guy like I used my physical strength as an advantage cause the guy (MJ) is so quick, you could at least try and dictate where’s he gonna go with physical contact 30 feet from the rim.”
“Now, no contact… They are worried about instant replay, ejection, flagrant 2s. None of that stuff existed, so put him (MJ) in a court today, with as competitive as he was, as tough as he was, as skilled as quick… There is no doubt in my mind that Michael Jordan would lead the league in scoring every year.”
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Tim Legler might actually be right. Air Jordan led the league a whopping 10 times in scoring, back when the league was much more physical and far less paced than today. Averaging 30.1 points over the span of his 15-year professional career is something surreal.
And we can only imagine how much more dominating would the GOAT be had he laced up in today’s day and age. Although, we know one thing for sure, even the best of the best defenders today, wouldn’t want to face the wrath of Michael Jordan.
