During his NBA career, Rasheed Wallace was known for his unique style on the court. Today, he can still turn heads, albeit in a very different way. Wallace mentioned a wild Michael Jordan take during an episode of The Sheed & Tyler Show a few weeks ago.
Given that Michael Jordan’s shots usually always get people talking, Wallace’s statement about His Airness stood out from the rest merely because it defiantly contradicted conventional thought about MJ. According to Wallace, the Washington Wizards version of Jordan was “more dangerous” than the Bulls’ Michael Jordan. Wow.
“Phenomenal player then, but I think he was a little more dangerous when he was with the Wizards,” Wallace joked.
The four-time NBA All-Star, who, like Jordan, played collegiate basketball for the North Carolina Tar Heels, said that Mike’s explosiveness had lessened significantly in Washington. Sheed did, however, imply that Jordan’s physical strength outclassed opponents and that MJ’s perimeter game was more lethal in Washington.
“He lacked the athleticism that Michael Jordan was known for… His angles were slightly more acute; he was a formidable two-guard who wasn’t going to move lightly, but he wasn’t going to move either. His shot grew increasingly lethal. As a seasoned player, he solidified during his time in Washington.
It’s important to remember that Wallace faced Michael Jordan in the game. Wallace joined the Washington Bullets in 1995, the year he entered the NBA. Jordan was hard at work building the Chicago Bulls’ championship season, which served as the catalyst for the team’s second three-peat. After the 1997–98 NBA season, Jordan announced his retirement, but he later came out of retirement to play two more NBA seasons with the Washington Wizards.
Wallace had developed into one of the NBA’s top big players by the time Jordan returned to the team in 2001, having already been selected to two All-Star teams.
Wallace, who was active in the NBA during Jordan’s Bulls days and the length of his tenure with the Wizards, must have formed his own opinion of the six-time NBA champion.
Jordan shot 43.1 percent from the field with the Wizards. Jordan shot 48.2 percent from the floor throughout his final three seasons with Chicago. Furthermore, Jordan had a 50.5 field goal percentage during his whole tenure with Chicago.
