DeMar DeRozan is often compared to NBA legend Michael Jordan mostly because of his impeccable mid-range game. Like Jordan, DeRozan had unreal verticals during his early years in the league. Many argue that DeMar is the modern-day version of MJ and the 6x All-Star joining the Chicago Bulls has led to more comparisons. After joining the Bulls in 2021, DeRozan has matched the Hall of Famer in multiple franchise records. In 2022, he became the only Bulls player after MJ to score 37 points or more on opening day.

Amidst reports of DeRozan’s exit, he became the first Bulls star after the 6x NBA champion to have 40 points and 10 assists in the OT loss against the Milwaukee Bucks. With all the similarities in game style and his recent records, let’s see how close Deebo is to Jordan.

Important traits of Michael Jordan 

Michael Jordan played during an era when three-pointers were not the focus of a team. Growing up and dominating that generation, Jordan excelled from close range and mid-range. During his high school, college days, and early years in the NBA, MJ used his athleticism to full use on both ends of the court. Young Michael was one of the most athletic stars the league had ever seen. He was agile, bouncy, and strong. No.23 also had great finesse.

With all his physical prowess, Jordan was unstoppable at the rim. Air Jordan was unguardable in fast breaks, could posterize anyone, finish with contact, and switch mid-air with some jelly. He was very effective with his dribbles as well and did not need many to go past his man. On the defensive end, Jordan was tenacious. He was a great one-on-one defender who could pick anyone’s pocket. His steals often led to easy breakaway dunks.

Even though he was very strong, it was not always easy for him, and he was often at the receiving end of hard fouls. Like the Detroit Pistons, many teams used physicality against him. So, he worked harder to get even stronger and dominated his opponents.

As he aged, the 5x NBA MVP adapted and started attempting more mid-rangers. He developed a killer fadeaway as well. Also, MJ started playing with his back to the basket a lot as well. This gave him the ability to play at his own pace and denied the opponent any chance of dictating it. He still had his physical abilities, but he used them mindfully and only when they were required. Despite the reduced number of close-range shots or layups, his mid-range game helped him continue his offensive onslaught.

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Another major trait that marked Jordan was his clutch plays. The Hall of Famer was always dependable during the final stretches of games and has hit multiple iconic game-winning shots throughout his career.

DeMar DeRozan’s game compared to Michael Jordan

Like Michael Jordan, DeMar DeRozan was very athletic during his high school, college, and early years in the league. Notably, he won the 2008 McDonald’s All-American Slam Dunk Competition. The former #9 pick had a decent start to life in the NBA with the Toronto Raptors. In his sophomore year, he impressed everyone as he doubled his scoring average from the previous season. He also entered the Slam Dunk contest for the first time in 2010.

He came close to winning it, but lost the title to Nate Robinson in the final round. In 2011, he returned to the Contest and finished third. DeRozan was unfortunate not to win two Slam Dunk titles with his impressive dunks. Had he won both, he would have had the same amount as Jordan.

In his first year in the league, almost half of DeRozan’s shots came from close range and he was very effective with 62.2%. He switched things up in the next year, as his two-point attempts were spread out with most coming from mid-range. This trend continued in the following years. During his last year in Toronto, DeMar tried to adapt to the league’s 3-point rate.

He increased his attempts from beyond the arc from 0.8% from the previous year to 20.3%. Also, he was moderately efficient, making 31% of his attempts as per Basketball Reference. However, that was just one season, and his 3-point attempts dropped in the following years. While he is one of the most efficient from mid-range, he is not the best among the top scorers from the three-point line. Notably, Deebo has finished in the top 5 in points in multiple years despite his lack of 3-pointers which is a testament to his mid-range game.

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Also, he is one of the best when it comes to clutch shots as well. In the final five minutes of the fourth quarter or OT, when the score is within five points, DeRozan has made 530 field goals on 42.6% shooting. Notably, last season, he finished third in the Clutch Player of the Year award behind Jimmy Butler and winner De’Aaron Fox.

Final verdict

DeMar DeRozan certainly has a lot of similarities with Michael Jordan. However, he lacks a few attributes which made Jordan one of the greatest players ever. Even though DeRozan was athletic, MJ was more agile despite being the same height. Also, the 6x NBA All-Star did not have the same finesse as the Hall of Famer, which helped him finish in tight spaces. Also, Jordan had a quicker first step which gave him a massive advantage over his opponents.

Furthermore, MJ was a complete player and helped the team massively on the defensive end. He won the DPOY once and has made nine All-Defensive First Teams. Another huge difference between DeRozan and Jordan was adaptability. All great players either stay ahead of their time or adapt quickly. This was true with MJ’s three-point attempts where he did both.

Notably, Jordan’s highest of 3.6 attempts per game from beyond the arc came during the 1996-97 season. That season, the league average was 16.8 attempts each game. Interestingly, it was a massive jump from the 1993-94 season with 9.9 3-point attempts as per StatMuse. After 1997, there was a sharp drop in the number and it took 10 years for the league to attempt 16.9 3-point shots. So, as the league shifted a bit, Jordan adapted well while shooting at a good 37.4%.

Also, he was certainly ahead of the curve as well. During the 1989-90 season, when the league average was just 6.6 3-point attempts per game, Jordan had 3 attempts each game. And he once again did with a decent efficiency of 37.6%. While it is not a Stephen Curry-like number, it was certainly great, considering he was attempting as much as whole rosters. Even though he did not continue the increased 3-point attempts, it is clear that MJ stayed ahead and he could have dominated any era. If he played in today’s NBA, he would be better in his 3-point numbers as well.

On the other hand, DeRozan did not adapt. Like MJ, his highest 3-point attempts per game were also 3.6. However, it came during the 2017-18 season when the league average was 29 each game. The number has only risen in the following seasons. But his attempts have reduced.

Nevertheless, there is no denying that DeRozan is a great player. Despite his lack of 3-point proficiency, he can still easily average 20 points per game at the age of 34. When compared to Jordan, DeMar has many similar qualities. However, he lacks some which made MJ one of the best ever, if not the best.

Editorial Disclaimer: The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of EssentiallySports.