“We won 11 and won 8 straight,” Bill Russell once SCHOOLED champion Michael Jordan on the golf course 

Michael Jordan, in addition to his talent in basketball, was also an ardent golf and baseball player.

“We won 11 and won 8 straight,” Bill Russell once SCHOOLED champion Michael Jordan on the golf course 

Bill Russell and Michael Jordan. (Image via Open Source, X)

The debate over the title of the greatest NBA player of all time has fueled countless discussions among fans and experts alike. While Michael Jordan is often lauded as the biggest suspect, before the likes of LeBron James and Kobe Bryant joined in, the NBA still had its fair share of GOAT suspects.

Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell, who won 11 NBA championships with the franchise, is one of them. According to a video by Facts Over Opinions, Russell revealed how Jordan once claimed that he would be aiming to break his record. Russell had a hilarious response:

I think he is a great player and I have the ultimate regard for him. One time we were in the middle of a golf course after they have just won a championship and he said they will go for my record. And I asked him which one? You know we won 11, but we won 8 straight. I told him I don’t think he will live long enough to get either of those.
YouTube video

That turned out to be true, as Jordan finished his career with only 6 NBA titles, around half as many as the great Bill Russell. He revealed that he told Jordan it was not as easy to win during the 60s, as he assumed:

FS Video
Think about it this way. When I was a rookie there were 80 jobs in professional basketball so a lot of good players didn’t make it. I said if there were 12 teams you wouldn’t win a championship.Because you did a great job penetrating and you dished out to Paxson and he hit the open shot which won the game. If there were 12 teams in the league, he wouldn’t make that shot because he would be up in the stands. And that is not a knock on him but it’s about the quality of the NBA.

Bill Russell is one of the greatest players to grace the NBA

The conversation took a turn when Russell highlighted the stark differences between the eras in which they played. Jordan, like many others, believed that winning in the 60s was comparatively easier. However, Russell presented a compelling argument, emphasizing the challenges of his rookie season when there were only 80 professional basketball jobs available. 

Bill Russell in the NBA. (Image via NBA.com)

Russell contended that if there were 12 teams instead of the existing 80, winning a championship would have been a far more arduous task for Jordan. Of course, his claims are merely theoretical and one cannot be certain about how different players might settle in other generations.

Russell at the same time, acknowledged the Bulls’ legend’s greatness. He claimed that Jordan’s ability to penetrate defenses and create opportunities meant that he would also have found success during his era. However, that in itself is not due to a lack of quality, according to Russell.

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