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'Did you watch Bad Boy Pistons?' Stephen A. Smith SLAMS JJ Redick’s narrative to black mark Michael Jordan legacy

Originally posted on FirstSportz | By Joseph Varghese | Last updated 5/3/24

Famed analyst Stephen A. Smith considers the NBA era of the 80s and 90s as the toughest and most defining years of the league. Smith believes Michael Jordan, who played in that era and dominated, to be the best ever.

Therefore, when colleague JJ Redick gave a different analogy to disregard Jordan’s GOAT legacy, it was natural for Smith to come out on the attack. While speaking on First Take on ESPN, Smith levied his strong words.

I love JJ to death, brilliant mind, no question about it. He done lost his damn mind with this desertion. Folks who are successors don't pay enough attention to the predecessors who paved the way, enabling them to do what they did. I understand the game has changed. But did you watch the Bad Boy Pistons? The game was far more physical back in the day than it is today. Stephen A. Smith said

Stephen A. Smith suggested that JJ Redick should go back in time and watch how physical the game was back in the day. It will give him an idea of how difficult it was back then to win games, let alone dominate.

.@stephenasmith isn't buying the narrative that MJ's era was "watered down" pic.twitter.com/kLPGEzMQns
— First Take (@FirstTake) May 2, 2024

Smith mentioned the ‘Bad Boy Pistons’ as a reference to the infamous Detroit Pistons team and the terror they caused in the 80s and 90s. He said that back in the day, hand-checking and body-to-body contact was at their peak. Smith wants Redick to factor in those problems when talking about eras being different and having different impacts on player’s legacies.

Stephen A. Smith breaks out 5 reasons why Michael Jordan is the GOAT

In the backdrop of how the NBA playoffs are unraveling, Stephen A. Smith decided to showcase five reasons why Michael Jordan‘s legacy as the GOAT of basketball is intact. He started with Jordan building the Air Jordan brand, something that has been at the top of basketball apparel since the 1980s. Then he talked about the killer instinct that Jordan had.

.@stephenasmith's top five reasons why Michael Jordan is the GOAT pic.twitter.com/Sp1yub63lS
— First Take (@FirstTake) April 30, 2024

According to Smith, most of the players in later generations took cues from Jordan to develop that instinct. He added that Jordan used that killer instinct to beat some fairly tough opponents during his time with the Chicago Bulls. Jordan stayed with the Bulls even though they constantly lost in the playoffs.

Most importantly, all that persistence paid off when the legend won 6 out of 6 NBA Finals. Unlike other greats of the game, that last point is something no one can compete with, essentially confirming that Michael Jordan is the greatest of all time.

This article first appeared on FirstSportz and was syndicated with permission.

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