NBA Finals: Ex-Lakers Star Trashes Michael Jordan's Championship Legacy

KEY POINTS

Former Lakers star Nick Young claims Michael Jordan never faced a superstar in the Finals aside from Magic Johnson
Young says the Heat is the first "non-superstar team" LeBron James is facing in the NBA finals
Netizens took issue with Young's comments on social media

Former Los Angeles Lakers star Nick Young has revealed why he doesn't think Michael Jordan should be considered the greatest of all time as he weighed in on LeBron James’ current NBA Finals scenario against the Miami Heat.

Young suggested that the former Chicago Bulls star loses to James in terms of the level of competition they have had in their careers. He claimed that Jordan never faced “superstars” in the NBA Finals aside from an “older” Magic Johnson in 1991, while this was the first time James was going up against a “non-superstar team.”

“To me MJ never went up against a super star besides a older magic in the finals he’s played against stars this the first time ever bron playing against a non super star team in the finals … what I mean by super stars is Kd curry Duncan ppl that are top 3 in they position ever,” Young tweeted.

To me MJ never went up against a super star besides a older magic in the finals he’s played against stars this the first time ever bron playing against a non super star team in the finals ... what I mean by super stars is Kd curry Duncan ppl that are top 3 in they position ever
— Nick Young (@NickSwagyPYoung) October 4, 2020

Young’s standards for an NBA “superstar” appear to be different from those of fans, who expressed outrage over his comments.

“MJ beat Magic in 91. One year prior to Magic winning MVP. MJ also faced Drexler, Barkley, Malone and Stockton, Gary Payton, Hakeem, Shaq, Bad Boy Pistons and you saying he faced NO superstars? Were you high when you said this?” a netizen commented.

“Magic was 31 that’s younger than KD is right now lmaoo MJ beat them boys and put on a show while doing it,” another wrote.

Magic won MVP in 90, the year before MJ beat him. Malone won MVP in 97. Stockton HOF. Payton HOF. Clyde HOF. Chuck HOF.

You literally just made up a definition of a “superstar”.

LeBron stans really will say anything to prove their ridiculous cases.
— Zain49ers (@zain49ers) October 4, 2020

Magic Johnson, Clyde Drexler, John Stockton, Gary Payton, Charles Barkley, Shawn Kemp and Karl Malone would all like a word.

Then, if you are taking pre-finals, it's worth mentioning Mark Price, Patrick Ewing, Reggie Miller, Penny Hardaway, Shaquille O'Neal, etc.
— Just a California Esq. (@DeleteThisPost) October 4, 2020

Young's statement comes amid the Lakers' 114-105 loss to the Miami Heat in Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Sunday.

Heat star Jimmy Butler managed to keep his team’s championship hopes alive in Game 3. Butler had a monster ball game and led all scorers with 40 points, becoming the third player in the history of the NBA to record a 40-point triple-double in the Finals.

Butler's performance also saw the five-time NBA All-Star becoming the first player to ever outclass James on all major statistical categories in an NBA Finals game, according to ESPN's Marc J. Spears.

“Win. I don’t care about the triple-double. I don’t care about any of that. I really don’t,” Butler said after the game. “I want to win. We did that. I’m happy with the outcome.”