Who was the second best player in the world during MJs run?

KGtabake · Post #1 » by **KGtabake** » Tue Jun 24, 2025 5:51 pm

During the Chicago years.

Yes, Larry Bird or Magic didn't play post '91-'92.
But if they were great until then(by your opinion) they qualify for this.
MJ was drafted in 1984. Soon he became the best player according to the above players confessions.

Was it Hakeem with his superstardom rise in the mid '90s? Was it Isiah who beat everyone in the late '80s? Karl Malone with his otherworldly consistency? Or was it someone else?

Who you got from 1985 -1998?

jowglenn · Post #2 » by **jowglenn** » Tue Jun 24, 2025 6:00 pm

KGtabake wrote:During the Chicago years.

Yes, Larry Bird or Magic didn't play post '91-'92.
But if they were great until then(by your opinion) they qualify for this.
MJ was drafted in 1984. Soon he became the best player according to the above players confessions.

Was it Hakeem with his superstardom rise in the mid '90s? Was it Isiah who beat everyone in the late '80s? Karl Malone with his otherworldly consistency? Or was it someone else?

Who you got from 1985 -1998?

I don't think anyone can really make an argument for anyone besides Magic Johnson. He won MVP in 87, 89 and 90. He won the championship in 85, 87, and 88. Nobody else in this 85-98 Jordan era won more MVPs or more championships (besides, obviously, Mike himself)

scrabbarista · Post #3 » by **scrabbarista** » Tue Jun 24, 2025 6:01 pm

Dream, of course.

CometGM · Post #4 » by **CometGM** » Tue Jun 24, 2025 6:06 pm

If by BEST you mean who accomplished the most, because that's the only way this question would make sense, then it would have to be between Magic and Olajuwon.

Mirotic12 · Post #5 » by **Mirotic12** » Tue Jun 24, 2025 6:38 pm

Hakeem. I honestly don't think anyone else even has an argument.

Stan · Post #6 » by **Stan** » Tue Jun 24, 2025 6:38 pm

The answer is obviously Hakeem here. The polls not going to be close.

The Servant · Post #7 » by **The Servant** » Tue Jun 24, 2025 6:41 pm

Dream

Post #8 » by **tsherkin** » Tue Jun 24, 2025 6:46 pm

Depends on the year.

In the first 7 years of Jordan's career, you're talking about Magic and Bird, mostly. Then you start talking about Olajuwon and Robinson. Then Shaq and Duncan. Honorable mention to Karl Malone and Charles Barkley.

But yeah, it very much depends on the specific season, unless you mean "over the entire breadth of Jordan's career, who stands out the most?" And then it's probably Olajuwon.

UcanUwill · Post #9 » by **UcanUwill** » Tue Jun 24, 2025 6:52 pm

scrabbarista wrote:Dream, of course.

Sorry for forgetting your man during that top 10 players all time thread, I am idiot, I legit forget Hakeem there, you replied to me, it took me a second to figure out what you meant there. I am not sure I would have had Hakeem in top 10, but he would be in same tier as Kobe and Steph at least.

OldSchoolNoBull · Post #10 » by **OldSchoolNoBull** » Tue Jun 24, 2025 6:58 pm

I don't really like the question. That's a thirteen year time frame. It changes within that time frame.

From 1985 to 1991, it was Magic.
From 1992 to 1995, it was Hakeem(though Barkley might have an argument for 93).
From 1996 to 1998, I'd argue it was Shaq, as Hakeem was declining by then.

And I disagree with the notion that Hakeem is clearly > Magic. I always take Magic over him. In fact, I think Magic is being pretty disrespected in the poll.

bledredwine · Post #11 » by **bledredwine** » Tue Jun 24, 2025 7:00 pm

Chuck actually had a ridiculous prime. I remember seeing a chart where Jordan and Chuck were putting up forty point playoff games left and right (93? forgot)

That said, obviously Hakeem. If you’re better than him on either end, you are remarkable, and both? Near impossible.

MavsDirk41 · Post #12 » by **MavsDirk41** » Tue Jun 24, 2025 7:14 pm

Dream if i had to pick one

Anticon · Post #13 » by **Anticon** » Tue Jun 24, 2025 7:24 pm

During MJs run it was Hakeem. The 80s wasn't MJs run, and then it was Magic and Bird obviously.

There wasn't really anyone comparable in the late 90s as Hakeem had gotten old and Shaq wasn't in his prime yet.

The other option would be Chuck, but without any titles you have to put Hakeem first.

NZB2323 · Post #14 » by **NZB2323** » Tue Jun 24, 2025 7:36 pm

jowglenn wrote:
KGtabake wrote:During the Chicago years.

Yes, Larry Bird or Magic didn't play post '91-'92.
But if they were great until then(by your opinion) they qualify for this.
MJ was drafted in 1984. Soon he became the best player according to the above players confessions.

Was it Hakeem with his superstardom rise in the mid '90s? Was it Isiah who beat everyone in the late '80s? Karl Malone with his otherworldly consistency? Or was it someone else?

Who you got from 1985 -1998?

I don't think anyone can really make an argument for anyone besides Magic Johnson. He won MVP in 87, 89 and 90. He won the championship in 85, 87, and 88. Nobody else in this 85-98 Jordan era won more MVPs or more championships (besides, obviously, Mike himself)

Hakeem beat Magic and Kareem in the 86 playoffs.

From 85-98 Hakeem has:

3 Finals
2 championships
2 finals MVPs
1 MVP
2 DPOTY
12 all-stars
6 all NBA 1st teams
3 all NBA 2nd teams
3 all NBA 3rd teams
5 all NBA 1st defensive teams
4 all NBA 2nd defensive teams
1 all NBA rookie team

The era was also unfair for centers when it came to MVP voting because it was stacked with centers and only 1 center could make an all-NBA team. In 1995 Ewing finished 4th in MVP voting and didn’t make an all-NBA team.

Give Hakeem Kareem and Worthy as teammates and he has a lot more championships.

Lalouie · Post #15 » by **Lalouie** » Tue Jun 24, 2025 8:56 pm

when mj made his run, both bird and magic were long done. thats why mj made his run in the first place!! :lol:

:

they got beat by detroit for fkkkk's sake before the bulls took over

Wingy · Post #16 » by **Wingy** » Tue Jun 24, 2025 9:03 pm

OldSchoolNoBull wrote:I don't really like the question. That's a thirteen year time frame. It changes within that time frame.

From 1985 to 1991, it was Magic.
From 1992 to 1995, it was Hakeem(though Barkley might have an argument for 93).
From 1996 to 1998, I'd argue it was Shaq, as Hakeem was declining by then.

And I disagree with the notion that Hakeem is clearly > Magic. I always take Magic over him. In fact, I think Magic is being pretty disrespected in the poll.

I voted for Hakeem mostly because their peaks were closer to aligning, but you make a damn good point on Magic.

If not for the HIV diagnosis, I’d bet Magic wins this one. It’s silly, yet somehow still easy to forget with time how damn great he was.

- Finished 2nd in MVP voting the season right before he was diagnosed
- Had won MVP in 3 of the last 5 years overall
- The other year in that mix, he finished 3rd

Damn. That’s gotta be one of the league’s greatest / least talked about ‘what ifs’ (where’s that thread???)

JustBuzzin · Post #17 » by **JustBuzzin** » Tue Jun 24, 2025 9:05 pm

Hakeem The Dream

GODeron · Post #18 » by **GODeron** » Wed Jun 25, 2025 3:14 pm

Scottie Pippen.

dhsilv2 · Post #19 » by **dhsilv2** » Wed Jun 25, 2025 3:26 pm

Mirotic12 wrote:Hakeem. I honestly don't think anyone else even has an argument.

Would be him or Chuck if we're just talking the entire time since they all came in together. Unless you really wanted to argue for stockton or malone i guess.

But that's obviously not how it all worked. Bird and Magic were better at first and then retired. Chuck had a nice run late 80's into the early 90's and then dream learned to pass and went to another level for a short but dominate 3 year run.

TheGeneral99 · Post #20 » by **TheGeneral99** » Wed Jun 25, 2025 3:28 pm

Well it's tough because Bird and Magic retired by 1992, lol.

From 1984-1987 - Bird (during this period Magic was #2 and Jordan was #3)
From 1988-1992 - Magic (during this period Magic was #1 from 1988-1990 and then Jordan took over by 1991)
From 1993-1998 - Hakeem is the undisputed #2 during this period

Too bad we never saw Jordan vs. Hakeem in the finals.

2nd best player from 1985 to 1998