Could Michael Jordan Still Play at 50?

What else is happening in sports right now? Nothing.

Mr. Jordan's 50th birthday falls on the NBA all-star weekend.

 

For a few minutes, like five or six, maybe 10 at the most. He can still still shoot but in the NBA, it's all about the legs and if the legs can't move, he's done.

 

Russell is 6-9. Thurmond and Bellamy were the only really good players taller than Russell to come into the league between Chamberlain and Abdul-Jabbar.

 

Wright Thompson's story on Grantland mentions that Jordan was recently seen schooling "one of the best players on the Bobcats" (talk about damning with faint praise) in a one-on-one game. But the next day Jordan needed treatment from the trainer and could barely move.

So it sounds like he can still ball, but his body can't stand the rigors of the game.

 

I actually covered that All-Star Game, and yes, Wilkins got screwed.

 

Wilt Chamberlain would dominate. Having been fortunate enough to see him play in his prime, I can honestly say he'd have a field day against the likes of Dwight Howard, Tim Duncan, Pau Gasol, and Tyson Chandler.

 

In his prime? That was 50 years ago, Drip.

 

And your point is?

 

Never took you to be a fella who's in his 60s or 70s.

 

OK

 

Could Drip still post in his 90s?

Discuss.

 

Well, we've had a very comparable player to Wilt within the last couple of decades, Shaq.

My guess is a born-1975 Wilt would have had a very similar career progression -- massively dominant early in his career, tapering off somewhat later. (Shaq's final several years were marred by injuries and his being badly out of shape, which Wilt never was during his career.)

Like Wilt, Shaq didn't win titles without being teamed with another first-team All-NBA player.

Similar in fact to the actual career progression of the real Wilt.