Kenny Smith didn’t hesitate. The moment the question dropped, “Could Michael Jordan go left?” he answered with the kind of clarity only a former player could offer.
The exchange happened on The Mark Jackson Show in a throwback segment that’s gone viral again in light of renewed Jordan vs. LeBron debates. And it wasn’t just jokes — it turned into a masterclass from a man who shared the court with Michael.
The ‘Hypocrisy of Idiocy’
Host Mark Jackson Jr. teed it up with a playful jab: “Could Michael Jordan go left?”
Kenny’s response? “That’s like asking if Prince could play the guitar.”
From there, the former NBA champ broke down why MJ wasn’t just great. He was the most complete basketball player ever.
“Michael Jordan had no weaknesses. He was the best athlete and the most fundamental. That’s the difference, even compared to Kobe or LeBron.”
Smith credited Jordan’s college years at North Carolina for honing his all-around game.
The result? By the time he reached the NBA, “he had no flaws.”
Defense: The Forgotten Difference
Kenny wasn’t done. He pointed out the often-overlooked defensive gap between Jordan and today’s stars.
“We used to run plays away from Jordan. That’s how much defensive impact he had. With LeBron? That’s not part of the conversation.”
Smith argued the removal of the hand-check rule also gives modern guards, like Steph, Kyrie, and Harden, a huge advantage Jordan never had.
GOAT of Longevity? Absolutely. But One Game? Give Me Mike.
Smith didn’t downplay LeBron’s greatness, especially when it comes to longevity.
But if the question is “Who do you want for one game?” It’s Jordan, every time.
“Each year, if I had to pick a player for one game? It’s Mike. That year. Every year.”
Even in locker room debates, Smith said Jordan was often “excluded from the question.” Why? Because he was already the answer.
Final Take: Respect, Not Disrespect
There was no hate for LeBron in the conversation. Just honest basketball talk.
“This isn’t a shot,” Jackson Jr. added. “We say this with great respect. But there’s only one answer.”
And in Kenny Smith’s eyes, that answer, still, is Michael Jordan.
