Even though most in the NBA community consider Michael Jordan the greatest basketball player ever, the Chicago Bulls legend rarely talks about being the best. He kept the same stance during his iconic Playboy Magazine interview in 1992. Jordan candidly admitted that he could never acknowledge himself as the best in the game.
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The question that he was asked was, “Where do you think you fit in the game? Are you the best?”
It’s common for athletes to proclaim that they are the best because it displays their confidence in their craft. Contrary to that belief, MJ preferred to talk about his skillset and explain his effectiveness on both ends of the floor, rather than go after ‘best player’ tags.
By 1992, the Bulls superstar was a two-time NBA Champion, two-time Finals MVP, three-time league MVP, seven-time All-Star, and a Defensive Player of the Year winner.
With that resume, he had every right to boast about being the best, but MJ chose to highlight his abilities as an all-around player.
He said, “I can’t ever say that I’m the best. I think I play both ends and do more than people perceive. I’m not just an offensive player. I play both ends. I can pass, I think I can play defensively as well as offensively.”
“I don’t think most stars can say that they try to do that. You can’t say that I’m a one-dimensional player or a two-dimensional player.”
Jordan was an offensive powerhouse, but as he highlighted during the interview, he was very effective as a passer and a defensive player. From 1984 to 1992, he averaged 32.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 6.0 assists in 589 games. At his defensive peak, which was in 1988, he averaged eight rebounds, eight assists, and 2.9 blocks per game for the entire season.
MJ had a career defensive rating of 102.7. In his DPOY year, he charted his best defensive rating with 101.4. For context, the 2023-24 DPOY, Rudy Gobert, recorded a defensive rating of 104.4.
So it’s not surprising that MJ always liked to point out his defensive abilities as well alongside his offense.
Michael Jordan wanted fans to acknowledge his greatness as a defensive player
Scoring was second nature to MJ. He was a 10-time scoring champion.
While he received every bit of recognition for his offense, MJ wanted fans to acknowledge him as a great defensive player as well. During a 1988 interview, he talked about the underrated aspect of his game.
MJ said, “I’d like to be known for my defense. I think there’s something that’s overlooked. I think, offensively when I score 50 points, that can be seen, that’s what most people see is the scoring part. But they don’t see the defensive part of the game. So, I enjoy getting the recognition on the defensive end because it compliments my offensive skills.”
Jordan retired from the game as a three-time steals leader and made nine All-Defensive First Team appearances. Although recently, his DPOY was brought under the microscope as there were allegations about his numbers being rigged.
But it’s undeniable that Jordan was a great defensive player. His stats become more impressive when we consider that he carried the offensive burden of his team for over a decade.
