George Karl has not coached in the NBA for several years, but that does not prevent him from continuing to follow the league and to distill a few opinions here and there. The latest is causing a lot of reaction and makes the Hall of Famer look a bit too nostalgic for the 90s. In a tweet, Karl spoke about the ultra offensive shift taken by the NBA in recent years and the offensive records observed these last weeks. According to him, Michael Jordan would have done better than adapt at that time. It would have statistically dominated it in unprecedented proportions.
“Anyone who questions Michael Jordan’s GOAT status fails to realize that in the modern NBA he would be averaging a triple-double with 40 points per game.”
As for those who replied that MJ was not an exceptional 3-point shooter, George Karl told them:
“If 3-point shooting had been as important back then as it is now, Michael would have become very strong at 3-point and would have shot 40 percent.”
The way basketball is played, refereed and defended in the NBA today partly explains the offensive boom. We can imagine that transported to 2023, Michael Jordan would cause carnage and might not be far from 40 points and / or triple-double average. You have to have seen the animal in situation to understand that even if George Karl’s statement may seem crazy, it is credible.
Michael Jordan averaged over 37 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists in 1986-87. He also recorded 8 assists and 8 rebounds on average in 1988-1989, proof that he was capable of not being that far from the triple-double average…
John Rogers, the businessman who beat Michael Jordan one-on-one
