Some people mock Michael Jordan’s last two years in the NBA.
The basketball icon played with the Washington Wizards for the final two seasons of his career and certain fans say he was doing so well past his prime.
But others, including those who played with him, think Jordan was still phenomenal at that point.
Speaking to Showtime’s All The Smoke podcast, via Ballisife, Ty Lue talked about the awe and inspiration he felt when he came to the Wizards in 2001-02.
“I don’t care if he was 90. It was a blessing…In my first year playing with him, I didn’t know what to do,” Lue said.
Ty Lue on playing with a 40-year-old Michael Jordan:
"I don't care he was 40. He averaged 20 points a game on one leg because his knee was messed up. And he played all 82 games. That just tells you who he is." #AllTheSmoke | @shobasketball pic.twitter.com/CY8gX8gOgi
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) July 28, 2023
Lue said that when he first got the call from Jordan, he could hardly believe what was happening.
That disbelief continued into the season when Lue felt like he always wanted to pass to Jordan instead of trying for his own shots.
Eventually, Jordan pulled Lue aside and told him to stop focusing on him and play as he always had.
That seemed to help Lue shake out of being star-struck.
Although some note that Jordan’s output with the Wizards was diminished compared to his years before with the Chicago Bulls, Lue points out that he was still playing very well.
He averaged 21.2 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 4.4 assists during his two years in DC.
And he did all of that at 40 years old with a bad leg, Lue reminded viewers.
Even the greatest of all time won’t play as well at that age.
And the fact that some people look down at 21.2 points a game at 40 years old is another sign of just how incredible Jordan in his prime truly was.
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