Michael Jordan isn't just a basketball player—he's the GOAT. And for a while, probably about a decade, his status as the greatest of all time wasn't really in question (still not on this side, tbh).
But as LeBron's career unfolded and people started making real comparisons, the media and fans—understandably—wanted to protect MJ's legacy.
I don't think anyone started out hating LeBron James (maybe Skip Bayless?) and I don't even think it was initially about LeBron.
Folks just loved Jordan that much.
And with all the "next MJ" talk, there was an instinct to keep MJ's legacy intact.
But that push to protect the GOAT's legacy might've changed how we talk about basketball for the worse.
To keep MJ on top, the narrative became:
"Regular season doesn't matter."
"MVPs don't matter."
"Only championships matter."
Suddenly, LeBron's decade of dominance? Downplayed.
The bar shifted—and players noticed.
When the narrative says only playoffs matter: Players chase better teams, oftentimes no matter the cost.
They manage their bodies for spring, not November. That's how we got load management.
And then…
The same media that pushed the whole "ring culture" narrative started
blaming players for it.
Ring culture didn't just change today's game—
It changed how we remember
yesterday's stars.
Tracy McGrady, in his prime (short as it was), was in convos with Kobe
(I'm speaking of when they were playing lol not now that the dust has settled please don't talk crazy in my comments).
Now people say Jimmy Butler > T-Mac…
Just because of playoff wins?
Mind you, Durant's comp coming out of college was none other than T-Mac, just to let you know how he was thought of
Funny enough…
Even MJ's strongest arguments get overlooked.
Not the "6-0."
But how he redefined two positions playing at the wing.
How he combined GOAT-level scoring with elite defense.
Buddy literally is in the top ten for most steals in a single season and he averaged 35 PPG that year!! Just slashing and shooting mid range jumpers! That's basically a supercharged SGA
There are so many things other than rings that made him different.
So now it starts to make you worry about the next generation of hoopers.
Will Luka or Ant or Wemby get overlooked if they don't win a ring?
Are we setting them up to be forgotten—
The way people now sometimes downplay Melo or Nash or Barkley?
We've turned a complex game into a single stat.
Championships do matter—but so do:
- Skill
- Longevity
- Style
- Context
Those gotta make their way back into the conversation (and in rap music discourse too but that's a different convo). And not just on player podcasts either.
Former players shouldn't have a monopoly on thoughtful hoops discourse smh we can all "mind the game" in our own ways