Basketball fans love comparing superstars of today to the past’s legends. The most common comparison between players of different eras are the frequent searches for “the next Michael Jordan“. Michael Jordan left a void in the NBA after his retirement. A new wave of superstars would always be in the shadow of Jordan. The “Next Jordan” label got slapped on any player resembling an ounce of what Michael Jordan performed on the court. Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady, and Kobe Bryant were all been compared fairly to Jordan, as if they were a Jordan reincarnate themselves. However, as the game changes with time, the new generation of stars continue to evolve.
Playing the same mold of Jordan would be distasteful in today’s era. The current obsession with three-point gunning runs rampant among all players and coaches. Shoot-first, high volume, low efficiency, isolation-heavy, athletic wings do not have a home today. That style of play worked in the ’90s through the mid-2000s, where it was the norm for wing players. But offenses today, which thrive on efficient shots, would see Jordan’s style as something inefficient.
Jordan’s beautiful jab-step and fadeaway would not be ideal today. Most shooting guards today are required to shoot efficiently and productively from beyond the three-point line. The game has changed in a lot of ways: more floor spacing, more free-flowing, and less of the midrange/post isolation wizardry at which Jordan was elite. Now there are perimeter players who stuff the stat sheet like Russell Westbrook and James Harden, as well as bigs and hybrid forwards with guard skills and handles like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Anthony Davis.
Forget About the Next Michael Jordan; There’s Only the Next Magic Johnson
Playing like Jordan is obsolete, but playing like Magic Johnson is the next norm.
Johnson was a point guard in a forward’s body, who could see over everybody and hand out dimes. The basketball world at the time had never seen a talent like Johnson, yet we see plenty of players who embodied the forward position like he did. Johnson was truly the first “unicorn” in basketball history.
With bigs and wings now boasting guard-like skills, the game has become more perimeter oriented. Antetokounmpo and Ben Simmons are two future superstars, already dominating the league early in their careers. Their style of play on the court strikes an interesting resemblance to Magic – solid point forwards with a weak outside jumper. Perimeter shooting is a weakness for players following this style of play, but their stats are eye-popping.
The All-Around ‘Point Forward’ Model
They simply grab a rebound, push the pace upcourt, and leave the defense trying to stop an athletic force with surrounding shooters who can’t be left open. No other type of player can grossly stuff the stat sheet, with LeBron James being the best example of these players. Their efficiency isn’t a problem, despite their usually shaky jumpers. These players use their athleticism to dominate around the basket, where they take high percentage shots. Most of their shot attempts are in the paint.
They aren’t shooters like most players nowadays; they are athletic slashers with a hawk-eye vision of the court. Being great all-around players makes up for their sometimes limited shooting, especially with players like Simmons and Antetokounmpo.
Michael Jordan does deserve credit. He changed the game from big men pounding in the post, which had been the way of playing basketball for nearly half a century. However, Magic Johnson and LeBron James have changed the way this game will be played as a forward for the foreseeable future.
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