Could Michael Jordan Still Play at 50?

In Wilt Chamberlain's final year averaging more than 20 rebounds a game, 1968-69, there were five other 7-footers in the NBA. One was teammate Mel Counts. Three were rookie stiffs: Tom Boerwinkle, who had a decent career being tall but not good, and Dave Newmark and Rich Nieman, who were so bad they couldn't even do that. And the last was injury-prone stiff Hank Finkel. All of them were 7-0, making 7-1 Chamberlain the tallest player in the NBA.

Lew Alcindor, 7-2, came into the NBA the next year. No one ever averaged 20 rebounds a game again.

 

Probably so ... which explains the stink bomb.

There's another question: What would Chamberlain do in today's NBA, where there's less importance placed on having a big man in the middle?

 

MJ could get 20 rebs per game in today's NBA.

 

I didn't vote because "Hell No" was not an option.

 

Yeah, but if ESPN and Sports Illustrated haven't told me that he's 50, then I don't care that he's 50 or that Charles Barkley turns 50 next week either...

I think an older center or point guard would probably have an easier go of it than a shooting guard or a small forward.

 

I wouldn't get too hung up on the 7-foot thing. Not when the list of 6-11s is so strong (Bill Russell, Nate Thurmond, Walt Bellamy, etc., just in Wilt's time).

 

ESPN has been rifuckingdiculous over the whole Jordan is 50 thing. It seems like they've been teasing it for over a month... But overkill is what ESPN does best...

I liked this week's SI, especially the story about the 1988 dunk contest. So many people forget how screwed Dominique got on his last dunk when he got a 45.

 

I really hope Sports Illustrated isn't moving toward ESPN: The Magazine theme issues. Not that I don't like ESPN: The Magazine theme issues. I do. But I'd like my two national sports magazines to be different.

 

It's February. That explains a lot, I think.

Can't even build one of the Feb. editions off the swimsuits, cause that branched out on its own some time ago.

 

This.

Why the fuck is Jordan's 50th birthday being treated like a huge story? I'm plain baffled by the extent of coverage this is getting from ESPN and SI. I was a big Jordan fan when he played, but I couldn't give the slightest shit about his fucking birthday.

 

I figured it was essentially the bookend to this cover:

 

Barkley would have a better chance of playing in today's NBA than Jordan.