Reggie Miller Claims Michael Jordan Would Destroy Modern Day NBA Defenses

Ricardo Klein | Nov 30, 2024

Feb 20, 2022; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Michael Jordan is honored at halftime during the 2022 NBA All-Star Game at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images / Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

The debate about who the NBA GOAT is is never-ending. From now until the end of time, people will always argue about who that is, and the popular debate is between LeBron James and Michael Jordan. 

While many people believe it is James, a large group still believes it is Jordan. The arguments for either or both are valid. Younger people tend to lean toward James, while older people, especially those who played against Jordan, lean toward him. 

One former player and NBA Hall of Famer, Reggie Miller, is Team Jordan. The former sharpshooter has not and will not doubt Jordan, as he had a bold claim when it came to him. 

Miller said Jordan would undoubtedly be even more unstoppable in today's NBA. 

"I would have averaged 45 points in today's game if the way they play defense, where you can't hand check, you can't contest shots, you got to come on the side. Jordan would have averaged 45, 50," Miller said.

The NBA certainly is a night and day difference from the 1990s to now. Miller last played in the NBA in 2005, and even then, the game was vastly different. 

As for Jordan, there is no doubt he would benefit from today's play style. Jordan mastered the game with his midrange game and fearless drives to the basket, which accounted for the majority of his points.

Today's NBA is all about the three-point ball. Jordan was not the best three-point shooter, but he would have adapted to it if he had played in today's NBA.

He would have had no other choice. Nonetheless, when you combined his overall skill with his work ethic, Jordan would have adopted the three-ball because that's just what the great ones do. 

There is no doubt that today's NBA heavily benefits the offense. In previous decades, defenders could use their hands to guide, slow, and disrupt ball handlers. This made driving to the basket much more difficult and allowed physical defenders to thrive.

As for the offense, it was much more challenging to get to their spots and score a bucket or earn two points at the free-throw line. 

However, any contact with a perimeter player is whistled as a foul today.

Jordan was thrown like a rag doll whenever he reached the paint in his era, and that would not be the case in today's NBA. Either he would put the defender on a highlight reel, or he would head to the charity stripe. 

I'm not saying one era is better, but with Jordan's greatness, there's no doubt he would thrive in any era. 

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