For a large section of the basketball fraternity, there is no doubt that Michael Jordan is the greatest of all time. But in the 80s, this debate around the best of the best had a different narrative. Critics ranked Larry Bird and Magic Johnson higher than Jordan for they believed that Bird and Johnson carried their teams to greatness. However, this didn?t sit well with Jordan.?

The Chicago Bulls drafted Michael Jordan in 1984, when Larry Bird and Magic Johnson were household names and dominated the league. The rookie of the year that season was Jordan. His game, talent and attitude was highly applauded. People sat in disbelief that someone could be that good with the ball.?

So while people argued about who was greater, Larry Bird or Magic Johnson, Jordan?s name was added to the discussion as a bit of an afterthought.

Michael Jordan silenced his critics

In 1987, the world had seen three years of Jordan. Jordan had bagged enough sponsors and launched the Air Jordans with Nike. Despite this fast-paced growth, Jordan was missing an NBA championship. This allowed critics to talk about his fame, game, and attitude.?

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People suggested that the likes of Magic Johnson and Larry Bird made their teams better. They passed the ball to their teammates and helped the team grow. However, critics stated that MJ had failed to do this. MJ played to achieve personal goals and not for the benefit of the team-that was the opinion of the majority.?

This narrative did not sit right with Michael Jordan. Jordan?s reasoning was simple. Larry Bird and Magic Johnson were stars of the game. However, they had teammates who were All-Stars as well.?

While Johnson?s Lakers had the likes of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and James Worthy, Bird?s Celtics had Kevin McHale and Dennis Johnson. All in all, both teams had a star-studded lineup.?

So Jordan quickly dismissed the narrative of Bird and Johnson being the sole reason behind the betterment of their teams. He said, ?Are you telling me Kareem and James wouldn’t be All-Stars without Magic? That McHale and DJ wouldn’t make it without Bird? Anybody who thinks that is a damn fool.?

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As the 1990s approached, Michael Jordan unleashed himself. Even Larry Bird once said that he was god disguised as Michael Jordan. His Airness now had the NBA All-Stars Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, Steve Kerr, and co. With this star-studded team, Jordan led the Bulls to six NBA championships between 1990-2000.?

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