Former NBA point guard Gilbert Arenas has sparked a fresh round of discussions around the age-old debate about which NBA era was more competitive. In a recent episode of his podcast, Arenas boldly claimed that the 1990s NBA defense was highly overrated. He went further by stating that Kobe Bryant would have averaged 45–50 points per game for the season if he was on Michael Jordan’s Bulls team.
“If you took Kobe Bryant, and you put him on that Bulls team? Just take Jordan out,” Arenas said. “Put Kobe on that team, Kobe’s averaging 45-50 for the season.”
Arenas added, “They ain’t no defense there. There was no defense. I’m sorry, there was no defense. Y’all couldn’t shoot the ball to put it in the basket. That was the difference. Like Jordan was a great shooter. He could shoot the ball. So when he got to his spot, it was cash money. Everybody else, stop. Y’all didn’t shoot the ball well, there was no threat.”
Gilbert Arenas Claims Kobe Bryant Would’ve Averaged 40-50 Points If He Played On Michael Jordan’s Bulls https://t.co/MYAs6Nqqtu
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) October 13, 2023
Gilbert Arenas said that the 1990s NBA lacked good defense, suggesting that apart from Jordan’s exceptional shooting abilities, many players couldn’t shoot well and they were non-threats on the court.
Arenas comments directly challenge the popular belief that the 90s era of basketball was tougher and had a more aggressive style of play compared to the current era.
By the time Jordan made his final appearance with the Chicago Bulls in 1998, he had won six championships and established his status as the greatest player to ever play the game. However, as the league evolved, stars like Kobe Bryant came they posed questions about Jordan’s status as one of the NBA’s all-time greats.
Comparing Kobe Bryant in the ’90s Bulls Era
Kobe Bryant’s legacy in the NBA is unquestionable. He started his career in the shadow of Shaquille O’Neal but he later developed as a dominant player, winning 18 All-Star titles, 5 NBA championships, and 15 All-NBA selections. Also, he averaged 35.4 points per game during his best scoring season in 2005–2006 against strong opponents like Tony Allen, Ron Artest, and Andre Iguodala.
Bryant and Jordan’s rivals were mainly defensive-focused teams like the Pistons and the Suns led by Charles Barkley. These comparisons suggest that Bryant could have actually been a dominant presence in the ’90s, especially under the guidance of coach Phil Jackson and playing alongside legends like Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman.
Which Phil Jackson-coached team are you taking in a playoff series? 👀
The 1990s Bulls:
🎯Michael Jordan
🎯Steve Kerr
🎯Scottie Pippen
🎯Toni Kukoc
🎯Dennis RodmanThe early 2000s Lakers:
🐍Kobe Bryant
🐍Derek Fisher
🐍Robert Horry
🐍Rick Fox
🐍Shaquille O’Neal pic.twitter.com/3zyorDcLmb— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) July 17, 2023
Even though Bryant was a versatile player and had amazing scoring abilities. It’s hard to suggest that he could surpass Jordan’s iconic 6-0 Finals record or average 40-50 points in a season. No one came close to Jordan’s 37 points per game in the 1986-1987 season, a record untouched even in the modern era.