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Derrick Rose's recent comments regarding Michael Jordan's legacy have sparked pushback from former NBA players. On FanDuel’s “Run It Back,” Rose’s recent remarks linking Jordan’s success to the Chicago Bulls, rather than his individual greatness, were discussed. The panel, including Lou Williams, Chandler Parsons, and Michelle Beadle, had strong reactions to Rose’s take.
Lou Williams was quick to disagree, arguing that Jordan’s greatness transcended the team that drafted him.
“I feel that MJ was gonna be MJ whether he was a Portland Trailblazer or a Cleveland Cavalier,” Williams said, dismissing the idea that Jordan's success was dependent on being with the Bulls.
Chandler Parsons shared a similar sentiment.
“Chicago is just a traditional franchise, but I’m with Lou,” Parsons said. He emphasized that Jordan's greatness wasn't tied to the team, but to his talent.
“MJ is MJ and LeBron is LeBron,” Parsons added. “Michael Jordan is going to be one of the greatest no matter who drafted him.”
Michael Jordan transformed Bulls' dynasty, while LeBron James found success everywhere
Before Jordan joined the Bulls in 1984, Chicago had struggled to find consistent success. In the four seasons prior to his arrival, the Bulls had an average win percentage of just 41.6%, never finishing higher than 5th in the Central Division. Jordan’s presence immediately changed the team’s fortunes, and by the early 1990s, he led the Bulls to six NBA championships, cementing his legacy as one of the greatest ever.
Williams compared Jordan’s trajectory to LeBron James, another frequently debated NBA great.
“LeBron should be a case study. LeBron James was LeBron in Cleveland, in Miami, he’s LeBron James in a LA Lakers uniform,” Williams said. “Those types of guys are going to be who they are.”
LeBron James, much like Jordan, found success wherever he played. After being drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers, James led them to their first-ever NBA Finals in 2007. He later won two championships with the Miami Heat in 2012 and 2013, returned to Cleveland to secure another title in 2016, and added a fourth ring with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020.
Michelle Beadle, also part of the conversation, questioned Rose’s perspective more directly.
“If MJ got drafted by the Spurs, let’s just say, he wouldn’t have been Michael Jordan?” she asked.
Parsons quickly responded, “I think he would’ve been. You could argue that he could’ve been greater, which is crazy to say, but he’s Michael Jordan. I think wherever he was, he was going to be great.”
Jordan’s success undeniably elevated the Bulls from mediocrity, but as Williams and Parsons argued, his talent would have made him a legend no matter which team he played for.
