Dwyane Wade: They’re gonna forget about Michael Jordan like we forgot about Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

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Yappi

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“These GOATs, these names that we throw out, it’s not gonna just be a lot of those players. But the game continues to keep moving forward. And so we are gonna continue to see things that we have never seen before. And the eyes are gonna get younger and younger,” Wade said on the Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard. “We are not going to have a conversation about the GOATs. Now it’s going to be the younger, younger, younger generation. And they’re gonna forget about Jordan like we forget about Kareem.”
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Dwyane Wade: They’re gonna forget about Michael Jordan like we forgot about Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

"These GOATs, these names that we throw out, it's not gonna just be a lot of those players. But the game continues to keep moving forward. And so we are gonna continue to see things that we have never seen before. And the eyes are gonna get younger ...
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I actually agree with a lot of this, although I don't think it will happen to Jordan as bad as it happened to Kareem.

With changes within the game that result in increasing stats along with instant highlights and conversation on social media, younger viewers are increasingly going to think whoever in the current generation or whoever comes next is better than anyone that's ever played before. Knuckleheads already joke that (insert all-time great) played against plumbers and electricians in their era. That's only going to get worse due to the instant access to highlights and fan conversation as time goes along.
 
Nah, Wade is off. With the internet and social media being present, today's biggest stars will have a longer and stronger presence with us. It's called marketing. I grew up with Jabbar and then Jordan. Two completely different cats. Abdul-Jabbar, who's one of the greatest centers of all time, winner, scored all kinds of points and won championships, was aloof, was prickly, moody and did really next to nothing in terms of marketing. Jordan on the other hand, catapulted Nike into history, and started his own brand and was all about marketing, AND was also easily the best player of his generation and maybe the ever. 6 titles, two different stints with the Bulls in a time when defenses were allowed to hammer star players.
 
I also think it's going to be difficult for future generations to compile championships like Jordan and Jabbar did. Today's younger generation are paid big walking into the league. They don't have to get better to earn it. Also, there is less sense of "I'm going to build a winner here". Kevin Durrant going from OKC to GS, Kyrie going from Cleveland to Boston to New Jersey, Harden from OKC to Houston to NJ.... going to find titles is the thing to do. Lack of patience in one location both from ownership and players makes it very difficult to become a dynasty.
 
I listened to the entire Wade interview on Armchair Expert a few weeks ago. It was a good listen for sure. As far as Jordan is concerned, IMO, he'll likely be remembered far more by the younger generation of sneakerheads than actual players.
 
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