"I never bought into that. We are all competitors" - When Clyde Drexler pushed back on the Michael Jordan GOAT narrative

Yahoo

11 hours ago

"I never bought into that. We are all competitors" - When Clyde Drexler pushed back on the Michael Jordan GOAT narrative originally appeared on Basketball Network.
There once was a time when it was taboo not to claim Michael Jordan was the greatest player of all time. It was an expectation; a certain fear was associated with anyone who dared venture off that path and offer up another name for discussion.
Advertisement
Thankfully, those times have changed for the sake of NBA discourse and critical thinking. With the explosion of social media and various other platforms available for former players and basketball personalities to give their views, the GOAT debate has rightfully become more nuanced over time.
While we put a certain amount of stock into what modern NBA players think, players who competed directly against MJ during his prime are respected differently.
One of his most famous competitors was Portland Trailblazers guard Clyde Drexler, who is often referred to as Jordan's greatest positional rival. Given their history, perhaps no one is better placed to determine if MJ was, in fact, the greatest ever. Yet, according to Drexler, he wasn't.
Clyde weighs in
Much like anyone, Drexler has his opinion on the GOAT debate. It's become fashionable for Hall of Famers to be generationally biased towards their own era. Still, to Clyde's credit, he doesn't advocate the 1990s boasted the greatest talent we've ever seen.
Advertisement
This may be why he doesn't see Jordan as the greatest ever. When asked about it, Drexler queried why MJ should be considered greater than the ones who came before him.
"Michael is phenomenal, and he is one of the best players I ever played against, but who is ever better than Kareem, Chamberlain or Julius Erving, Bird or Magic. I never bought into that. We are all competitors," he said.
They're telling words from Drexler, and one that has been echoed previously by other legends who believe it's unjust to put one all-timer over another for the sake of ranking players.
Many see Clyde's approach as admirable, but there will always be a cohort of fans who see his words as a deflection in an attempt to protect his own image. As mentioned, Drexler was always compared to Jordan, given that they were the two leading shooting guards in the Association during their primes. Mike left nothing to the imagination about who the better players were when they did match up against one another.
Advertisement
This isn't to say that Drexler isn't being genuine, but there is a chance he also doesn't want to give Jordan the nod out of pride for what occurred during their battles. Ultimately, any 10-time All-Star had to be supremely confident in their ability, and Clyde felt like no one was better than him when he was at his best.
"I always felt there was nobody better if I played the way I should have played," he added to clarify his stance. "If I come out and compete, there will be only a few guys that are better, and if they are, you shake their hand and say congrats. I can compete with anyone, and it's all about performance."
Related: "He doesn't deserve to be in the game" - Charles Barkley wanted Vince Carter to give up his starting spot in the 2003 All-Star Game for Michael Jordan
Mutual respect
That said, it's also important to acknowledge that Clyde has been nothing short of a gentleman when giving his opinions following his career. When he has made media appearances or sat down for interviews, he's always been candid in discussing his past, from the success of winning a championship in 1995 with the Houston Rockets to the pain of defeat at the hands of the Chicago Bulls in 1992.
Advertisement
Yes, he and Michael were fierce competitors. Still, he also went on the record saying that there was nothing but mutual respect for one another.
"I loved playing against Michael, he was the nicest guy, but he is a great competitor. He never said anything to me. He asked me how I was doing, how my family was. A lot of mutual respect," Drexler said.
It's nice to see two legends openly broadcast their mutual respect for each other. It's even more refreshing considering that every other week, a former superstar is making a podcast appearance and throwing dirt on their former peers for no apparent reason or continuing a beef that happened 20 years ago in an attempt to protect their own legacy.
We need more of what Jordan and Drexler have in common — acknowledgement of an all-time rivalry that fuelled a long-lasting mutual respect well after both players walked away from the game.
Advertisement
Related: "I wanted people to know the difference between me and Clyde" - Michael Jordan took Clyde Drexler comparisons in the 1992 Finals as extra motivation
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 30, 2025, where it first appeared.