Very few players in NBA history have had the unenviable task of guarding both Michael Jordan and Larry Bird. Lakers legend and Hall of Famer James Worthy was one of those rare few. Bird and MJ are often mentioned in the same breath when discussing the greatest to ever play the game.
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However, stylistically, they were very different. Bird was more methodical in his approach to the game. He wasn’t the most athletic, couldn’t jump over defenders or physically overpower them, but he was an elite offensive threat with his ability to hit deep threes and midrange.
Jordan, on the other hand, was a force of nature. He had incredible speed, athleticism, could jump over anyone, thrived on isolation, and had unmatched footwork. Guarding him was a nightmare for his opponents. However, when given a choice between defending against MJ and Bird, Worthy would pick MJ in a heartbeat.
In the documentary, Beyond the Glory, which was released in the early 2000s, Worthy explained why he’d rather guard Jordan over the Celtics legend. He said, “I’d much rather guard Michael Jordan than Larry Bird because you have to play the game as a thinker when you’re playing him. You have to get inside his mind.”
The Lakers legend explained that Bird wasn’t a threat to him because of his athleticism; it was Bird’s game IQ that made him a problem. “Larry wasn’t quick, couldn’t jump really high, but there was just some sleepless nights,” Worthy added.
It’s interesting how MJ is placed above Bird in the greatest players discussions, but facing the latter was a bigger problem for other greats of the game.
Vernon Maxwell also said that he’d prefer guarding Michael Jordan
During his conversation with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson on All the Smoke, Rockets legend Vernon Maxwell was asked to name two underrated players he played against. Mad Max named European legend Drazen Petrovic. He said, “Never seen nothing like him before. I’d rather guard mother***in Black Jesus, Michael Jordan than guard that mother****r.”
Speaking from personal experience alone, Maxwell revealed that he couldn’t find a solution to effectively guard Petrovic. “This mother****r used to give me buckets. I used to be so frustrated, I couldn’t stop this mother****r. I mean, you can’t give this mother****r an inch,” he added.
Maxwell believed that it was Petrovic’s European training that made him a triple threat. Petrovic was the 60th pick in the third round of the 1986 NBA Draft and only played five years in the NBA before he tragically passed away in a car accident in 1993.
