The modern-day NBA is a completely different game from the days Michael Jordan played. Teams break triple-digits regularly. In fact, it’s almost uncommon if they don’t. This is due to most squads shooting a high volume of three-pointers and certain players’ insane ability at getting to the line. So, how could MJ have done under this era? His agent thinks rather well.
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David Falk, 75, was a recent guest on Stephen A. Smith’s podcast to discuss his favorite client in detail. The first topic he brought up was how much the game has changed since the Hall of Famer’s epic run in the 1990s.
“The average NBA team takes one-third more shots than they did in Jordan’s era,” revealed Falk. “So when Jordan averaged 38 points a game if you increase that by a third that means he would average 52 now.” That’s crazy to think about, especially since Jordan was more a master of the mid-range and rarely took 3s. “Michael took 1.7 threes per game. That’s all he took,” revealed Falk.
One thing that is pretty obvious about Jordan is his unmatched ferocity towards winning. Falk remembers this as well and used that memory to enforce another point about MJ’s overall statistical outlook. “I think he could have averaged almost anything he wanted if that’s what he wanted to win,” he said to SAS. “All he cared about was winning, and I think his record of six out of six is the greatest in the history of the NBA. Never lost a championship.”
While it’s easy to say these things about Jordan, the truth is you’d never know how he’d hold up in today’s era. Could he have been just as dominant in a game where Steph Curry was draining 30-footers? Would his lack of a true big man during his Bulls run have helped whenever Chicago had to play someone like Jokic? There’s no real answer, which makes it a fun conversation.
Regardless of others opinoins, the man himself is confident that he could more than excel if he was playing today.
Michael Jordan once said he could score 100 points in the modern NBA
Back in the spring of 2024, His Airness was asked to weigh in on the current NBA product. Without keeping the topic off him for too long, the six-time NBA Champion made a claim that matches up to his larger-than-life personality. That claim? That today’s game would have allowed him to score 100 points.
“It’s less physical, and the rules have changed, obviously,” stated MJ. “Based on these rules, if I had to play with my style of play, I’m pretty sure I would have fouled out, or I would have been at the free throw line pretty often, and I could have scored 100 points.”
Again, this would never be something that could be proven unless we boot up a game of 2K. However, there is some evidence about Jordan at least getting close.
MJ’s ability to back an opponent into to set-up for his mid-range is a move that many still do in today’s game, but none with the same effect. Blend this with Jordan’s high accuray at the free-throw line, and sprinkle in a few more three point attempts, he’d probably break 80 pretty easily.
Unfortunately, the NBA may never see another 100-point scorer alongside Wilt Chamberlain. And that’s okay. According to Falk and Jordan, it’s not about that anyway.
