two-three

NBA stuff..

1: Brandon Jennings just dropped 55 today. First rookie to drop 50 plus since the 60s (you know, when the era was weak and the parity was so bad that everyone who's above average had ridiculous stats) And he did this in his 7th NBA game. Oh my...

2: Lebron announced he will be switching jersey numbers from 23 to 6 next year, out of respect for Jordan. Lebron said he's doing this because Jordan is the greatest of all time and no one should be allowed to wear his number again.

I wonder what made Lebron decide this suddenly. Jordan's been universally accepted as the GOAT since 97 or so. Lebron's been in the league for 6 years now. Why did he suddenly realized he shouldn't be wearing 23 six years in?

Will the NBA really consider retiring 23 from every team just for MJ? It seems a bit much when you consider that the game has had many great players before (and since). Sure Jordan is the greatest on the court. But off the court he didn't face anything hear what the older players faced (racism, prejudice, the works. example: Elgin Baylor spent one season in the 60s splitting his time between the Army and the NBA. He'd play in only home games and then spent the weekends with the army. Bill Russell played in an era when every team had a rule that no more than three black players were allowed. Kareem faced racism and stood up for the Muslim community.)

Even Phil Jackson--who is keen on the idea of retiring 23 all around--says that it's kinda stepping on the toes of Magic and Bird, who saved the league from bankruptcy in the late 70s when they entered the league and took the nation by storm.

So yeah. I think retiring Jordan's number all around is a bit much, and I'm as big a Jordan homer as anyone I know.

Lebron says that Jordan has done so much for the game he needs to be acknowledged in some way. But Jordan didn't more for basketball what Magic or Bird did. He didn't take part in any social movement like other prominent African American athletes.

If anything, I think Jordan's influence OUTSIDE OF BASKETBALL should be acknowledged more. Air Jordans is as much a symbol in hip hop as the new era caps, bling bling necklaces or whatever. Jordan also paved the way for corporate America to put a Black man in the forefront of their marketing plans. Jordan was the first brotha to become a brand. He's not a businessman, he's a business, man.

That should be acknowledged. Jordan's contributions to the NBA has become a bit overrated, but his contributions to the outside world is underrated.