Steve Lipofsky (CC) / Keith Allison (CC)
The big league has had some crazy scorers, and some have played in times when the game was going much slower. Because of that, a former bully thinks a legend would have averaged 50 points these days… Considering his CV, we’re not far from agreeing.
In total, Michael Jordan spent 14½ seasons in the league, coming out of his first retirement midway through the 1994-95 campaign. In that time, he finished no less than ten as the league’s leading scorer. An absolutely crazy total for anyone, because even the great Wilt Chamberlain hadn’t gotten there more than seven times. Not only did he chain the distinctions, but the rear also took the opportunity to drop sensational averages.
Indeed, you can’t manage to shoot more than 30 points per game in your career without having released a few absolutely all-time seasons. The best example of that? His third NBA exercise, which he finished with an average of 37.1 points. It was the first in a streak of six consecutive years with at least 30 units each night. A staggering figure… And we had to wait James Harden in 2018-19 to see someone get ever so close to His Airness.
Metta Sandiford-Artest cash on Michael Jordan
That season, the one who then wore the Rockets jersey finished with 36.4 points per game, claiming in passing that he wanted to reach 50 units. A disproportionate ambition, and some elders of the league had unsurprisingly advised him to give up. Guest of Club Shay Shay in August 2021, Metta Sandiford-Artest had been among those, saying The Beard couldn’t do it. On the other hand, he is convinced that MJ would have been able to achieve this, if he had played in the current era:
“In today’s NBA, Jordan would average more than James Harden. Jordan would average 50 if he wanted to.” — @MettaWorld37 👀
Full conversation here: https://t.co/oAsmY8uGoJ pic.twitter.com/mqL3OPUxvu
— Club Shay Shay (@ClubShayShay) August 9, 2021
He would have scored more than James Harden. I was in the days of Jordan. I was in the LeBron James era, Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, and I played at the end of the Jordan era. I played with these guys. I have seen all 3 point balls rise. Jordan would average 50 points if he wanted to. James Harden wants to average 50. But he can’t. He runs at 38 points. If Jordan wanted to shoot 50 points, if he was playing in that era, I think he’d average 50. And that’s no disrespect to any of the guys.
Obviously, it seems hard to believe that someone could achieve this today, even though the current game is going at a much higher rate than in the 90s for example. Nevertheless, it is certain that the six-time champion would have chained the cards very regularly. 40 points per game? Why not, although the former Laker isn’t the only one who thinks he could have hit his 50s. A European legend had said the same thing in the past.
Could Michael Jordan have averaged 50 points? Metta Sandiford-Artest is convinced of this, having been able to witness the exploits of His Airness on the court. Unfortunately, we will never have the answer to this question…