this post was submitted on 22 Oct 2023
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What if Jordan never got bored and retired/was shadow suspended (if you believe the conspiracy theories). Would the Bulls have won 8 straight? 6? How would Hakeem's career been perceived if they couldn't beat the Bulls instead of getting Ewing and a not yet ready to win Shaq?
I think an interesting spin off of that is what if MJ came back, lost in the Finals both years, and the rest of his career turned out exactly the same? How would we view MJ differently? Probably not a likely scenario, but a lot of MJ’s mystic comes from the fact that he never lost in the Finals. And what about if he wins one and loses the other?
He would have won
That's why it's a what if.
The "shadow suspended" theory honestly makes no sense when you think about it. Stern was doing everything he could to grow the NBA, and MJ was huge in making the sport global. Why suspend him for something that wasn't out in the open?
MJ's father was murdered, and his dream was for MJ to play pro baseball. MJ, who was burnt out after a three-peat and Olympic run, retired afterward to play his father's favorite sport.
That's why you don't suspend him. There was enough hype that it kept the NBA front of mind, and MJ didn't lose face.
Jordan would have had to go full OJ for Stern to suspend him in the early 90s.
There is no actual evidence to support this myth, and it's sillier the more you actually look into it. There is no way Stern would tell MJ to walk away from the NBA for 2 years.
Even if you believe MJ got into trouble with the league, less popular big-name stars have done worse and weren't told to leave the game for as long as MJ did.
I don't buy it at all either but it's quite funny to see how much traction it caught in some circles. Stern would have just buried any kind of wrong doing Jordan was doing short of major crime given how big a star he was for the league.
Probably 7 chips. It would take a lot for them to win '95, but maybe Bulls pull of a trade or FA signing with MJ there that changes the direction of the dynasty.
Jordan didn't get bored. Jordan was mentally fried by the summer olympics in 1992 and had already made up his mind that the 92-93 season would be his last. His dad's tragic murder made it that much easier for him to step away.
Suspended.
On the opposite side of that, what if Jordan didn't come back?
At the time of Jordan’s first retirement, he was the undisputed GOAT of basketball. His gap between him and #2 on the all time list was substantial.
It’s possible Jordan could be thought of as even higher had he stayed retired.
Karl Malone probably wins 1-2 rings and ends up in top ten all time great discussions.
I’m pretty glad that didn’t happen.
Shimmy.gif
Top 13 at least.
We dont need pedos in any top lists. Ever!!
I am confident if he would’ve played 1984-2003 with no breaks, they would’ve won 9 straight in the ‘90s and the LeBron longevity argument wouldn’t be as impactful. He averaged 20/6/4 in 82 games in his last season at 40. Now imagine those numbers if he hadn’t taken those seasons off in between the Bulls and Wiz and stayed in better shape up until that point.
He would have been A LOT more worn down come 03’
If something like that happened, like had the Bulls won anywhere between 6-9 straight with at least 7 titles I think it would have forever ended any debate for the US Sports GOAT until far into the future when someone comes around to eventually do something as crazy. Brady would be close but not quite there. Jordan would have functionally ended up as Gretzky and Brady combined into one, he'd eclipse them, Ruth, Ali, Phelps, Woods, Nicklaus you name it.
On top of the accolades and counting stats he would have accumulated over such a run, just imagine how much greater his marketability would have been compared to what it reached, which was and continues to be insane to this day. And not only LeBron's legacy would be impacted everyone who came after Jordan from Shaq, to Duncan, to Kobe you name it their accomplishments wouldn't hit as hard after the collective fandom would be turned numb to the sheer amount of winning the Jordan Bulls would have done.
If Jordan has someone to chase, he would have climbed that mountain.
He was only competing with himself.
And he would have gone for 10 with the whole world believing he would get it.
Two away from reaching Bill Russell is kinda tempting.
Mine is what if the 3-pointer was as important at the start of MJ’s and Bird’s career as it is now
This. I feel like the Bulls/Rockets finals would’ve been the greatest test the Jordan era Bulls ever faced. I think they take it, but they were always weak at center, and would’ve been fun watching Hakeem give them trouble.
It all depends upon if Horace stays or still leaves whether the Bulls even get there. Watching those Bulls games the season Jordan came back we’re frustrating because they were so weak at rebounding, Rodman was the complete missing piece there.