Should the NBA retire the number 23 for Micheal Jordan like the NHL did for Wayne Gretzky?

[astroox805]

jordan in his prime would merck out kobe/lebron! no one was steppin to mj & pippen!!! retire the number 23!!! lol

 

[jordanh109]

 

[S3NTINEL2001]

i think they should retire the number 23

 

[akuma471]

retire 23! no option!! G.O.A.T.!!!

 

[collierkoolaid]

I'd say no....if MJ were a better guy and/or humanitarian off the court, then maybe.

Sports retiring a number are unnecessary in my opinion with the exception of #42 in baseball which for obvious reasons was a good move as Jackie Robinson wasmore than just a decent baseball player.

 

[juice2352]

Originally Posted by Mac4167

i think they should but i dont think they will

Agreed ^^^

Originally Posted by SINcereOne03

I think they should. Lebron wouldn't have to change his number, he would be grandfathered in. Just like what they did with Jackie Robinson's number. Players who currently wear the number until they retire, but incoming players could not get the number nor could you change your number to it..

And this is a good idea^^^ Although Lebron (my guess) would probably offer to change his number as a sign of respect.

In any case, those saying Lebron/Kobe will be better at the end of their respective careers than MJ aren't crazy but I doubt they will be. As someone elsementioned, the fundamentals of the game are gone. Today's youth (bball players included) are so infatuated with dunking/flashiness and can't do asimple thing- shoot! I look at the rookies that come into the league and not a dang one can hit a mid range jumper. Their shots are so ugly, I wonder whatthey spent time on in practice. Something else that is overlooked all the time is defense- MJ was one of the best. Lebronand others are athletic FREAKS, but they will never be greater than MJ if they don't have a fundamentally sound bball game so that the athleticismcompliments their game instead of being their game.

 

[steven42lh]

They should have done this the day he retired. Grandfather in the players also wearing 23, but when they retire, it is no longer available. No question.

 

[jstar25]

Kobe wearing 24 > this thread.
Someone ALWAYS has to chirp Kobe when Jordan is mentioned...

Nothing against kobe but his fans are just

By the way #23 should be retired across the league.

 

[cedric ceballos 1995 lakers]

without a doubt wayne gretzky was the best player to ever play hockey, he destroyed almost every major record of relevance in hockey. wayne gretzky singlehandedly put hockey on the map in west coast cities when he came to the kings in 1988 (notice all the expansion during the next dew years)

while i see jordan as the best to ever do it basketball wise, i could see people making a legit argument for other players like russell, wilt, magic etc, so ifyour going to retire jordans number then retire all those other guys numbers too. if pat riley or the miami heat owner ever becomes commisoner of the leagueyou guys will get your wish though.

 

[mst9023]

they should retire the number 23, in honor of his airness. he was the greatest player to ever walk on the court and out of respect to what he did for the gamethey need to do this. and dude saying kobe and lebron are better? Michale Jordan was the best basketball player in what i consider the golden age ofbasketball. he has played with and against some of the greatest players to ever play, and he made most of them look like fools. He revoloutionized the game andall of us who have seen him play live have tried to copy his every move on the court. the nba needs to recognize him as the greatest and retire his number nowand make anyone wearing it change it.

 

[frenchblue23]

I completely agree with that.
I would also let the current players (i.e. Lebron) who wear #23, keep it, just like they did when they retired Jackie Robinson's number.

It's crazy to imagine your own number being retired from a professional sports league, forever. Crazy.

 

[djmike510]

Originally Posted by 410FRESH

^ this kid must have never watched mj play lol. There's a handful of players better than Kobe and LB.

for example?

 

[wren32]

Bucknuts116 wrote:

---

they wont... and shouldnt... 99 got retired because he is and will always be the best hockey player we will ever see.... no1 will be anywhere close to seting as many records or breakin most of his records... just aint gonna happen... im sure when kobe n bron are done they will be considered better... so you cant..

I know nothing about hockey for the most part but its apparent that you know little about basketball. The only statistical category that Kobe isbetter in then Jordan is his freethrow percentage. I would think at this point if Kobe was going to surpass Michael he would have already done it. Lebron onthe other is going into his 7th year in the league and aside from Olympic gold has accomplished nothing even close to what Jordan had done by this point in hiscareer. I think you are way off with your comment about Jordan bro. Numbers don't lie and Jordan's are flat out better and so are his accomplishments.

I think it would be cool to retire his number all together but I doubt that they will.

 

[dmoney82]

Great thread OP


Yes I think they should. I'm sick of all these new school fools that think Kobe/Lebron are or will be better than MJ. No one can come close to what thisman has done in the next 20 years. Even if there is another... MJ did it first so it wouldn't matter.

This man revolutionized the sneaker. That's why you lil knuckle heads are collecting as we speak.

 

[juice2352]

Originally Posted by djmike510

Originally Posted by 410FRESH

^ this kid must have never watched mj play lol. There's a handful of players better than Kobe and LB.

for example?

Doubt he meant current players...but there are definitely retired players better than Kobe/LBJ

 

[SteveSteve72]

MJ is the GOAT will always be the GOAT so YES the NBA should retire the number 23.

 

[reppin va]

Originally Posted by DMoney82

Great thread OP


Yes I think they should. I'm sick of all these new school fools that think Kobe/Lebron are or will be better than MJ. No one can come close to what this man has done in the next 20 years. Even if there is another... MJ did it first so it wouldn't matter.

This man revolutionized the sneaker. That's why you lil knuckle heads are collecting as we speak.

Co-sign to that

 

[jumpersgalore]

i think the NBA should retire his number. he is the best player to ever play the game. as for LBJ, the only reason why his wearing that number is because ofMichael. that's the fact.

 

[wren32]

Originally Posted by Juice2352

Originally Posted by djmike510

Originally Posted by 410FRESH

^ this kid must have never watched mj play lol. There's a handful of players better than Kobe and LB.

for example?

Doubt he meant current players...but there are definitely retired players better than Kobe/LBJ

Off the top of my head Oscar Robertson, Kareem Abdul-Jabar, Wilt, Shaq, Bill Russel, Karl Malone, Magic are all better period. and you can make agood argument for Scottie Pippen and Tim Duncan. i'm sure im forgetting someone.

 

[frijo sneaker]

That will never ever happen!!!!!!

 

[dghost]

No I don't think they should retire the number, it's kinda foolish in my opinion.

And if teams keep on retiring there greatests players' numbers what are they gonna be wearing 50 years from now, 40's thru 90's, they should justhang up the jerseys and let others wear the number

 

[retrowear23]

I don't think they should retire it, don't get me wrong MJ is mt fav player to play in any sport of all time and there still isn't anyone close.

But there are so many players that wear his jersey number as a sign of respect for him, I think that's more of a compliment than retiring it, right?

But if there was to be a number to be retired forever it should be 23, it defines Jordan. No matter what sport, if I 23, I think of MJ.

OP had a GREAT idea with the releasing the OG version of the 1-14's lol

 

[yowazgud8895]

Originally Posted by Bucknuts116


they wont... and shouldnt... 99 got retired because he is and will always be the best hockey player we will ever see.... no1 will be anywhere close to seting as many records or breakin most of his records... just aint gonna happen... im sure when kobe n bron are done they will be considered better... so you cant..

How old are you? And do you live under a rock? Because K.B. nor L.J. have half the game the great MJ did. You can't be serious with your statement.

 

[solefulone]

The answer is no. One player is not bigger than the league, no matter what his impact has been to the league. I grew up in Detroit of all places watchingMJ. For all you youngin's out there that don't understand, please fall back. Kobe and LeBron will never be what MJ was. Lets not forget that MJ wonDefensive Player of the Year and the Scoring Title (32.5ppg) in the same season (198. That alone should quiet all the comparisons. They will simply be whatKobe and LeBron are, Hall of Fame players in their own right.

Jackie Robinson's #42 is retired throughout the majors. Not because of his stats but his impact on this country. He changed the course of history. History is a record that cannot be broken again. You can't break the color barrier again. MJ has accomplished things on and off the court that someoneelse can do, no matter how unlikely it may seem.

I am a big MJ fan but I don't think he has accomplished enough off the court to warrant league wide retirement of his jersey.

 

[jpena0306]

and yes...i totally cosign dude above me ^^^^


IMO...i don't think they should retire his number
i mean a number is a number. it's just helps associate a name on the court. michael jordan is michael jordan because of the numbers he put up and theaccolades he accomplished during his time in the league not the number on his jersey. don't get me wrong he is the G.O.A.T. but it's just not thatnecessary to retire his number throughout the NBA.