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Throwback: When Michael Jordan Named 2-Time All-Star as Best Shooter He Had Ever Seen
Michael Jordan barely praised NBA players for their gameplay. It always took something special from them to get the attention of His Airness.
A player would seem to need to be an accomplished star to gain Michael Jordan's respect and praise, based on the many anecdotes that have been shared over the years. When the five-time MVP chose the greatest "pure shooter" he had ever seen, though, this was not the case.
Mike identified former Milwaukee Bucks guard Brian Winters, who played for just nine years in the league, as the best player he saw in action, even though Winters shared the court with well-known shooters like Craig Hodges and Steve Kerr and played during the period when players like Larry Bird and Reggie Miller flourished as shooters.
The six-time NBA Champion was asked if he thought Oscar Roberston was the best shooter he had ever seen in an interview with Marvin R. Shanken. The 14-time All-Star responded by explaining that Robertson and Magic Johnson were part of a distinct group of players who were exceptional all-around players who could score, rebound, and create plays.
But when it came time to declare who the greatest pure shooter was, the 6'6" shooting guard singled out Winters, finally putting him in the same sentence as some of the greatest players of all time.
"Pure shooter, I would say Brian Winters, who played for the Milwaukee Bucks. He had the most beautiful stroke of all the people whom I can think of," Jordan said. "You could go, too, with John Paxson, who was next to me in the backcourt in Chicago. Clutch. He doesn't have the best form. But Reggie Miller, or maybe Jerry West; it's hard picking one."
During his NBA career, the two-time All-Star played his rookie season with the Los Angeles Lakers before joining the Bucks. He averaged double-digit points every season while maintaining a field goal percentage of 47.5%. The 1977–78 season saw him record his highest scoring average of 19.9 points.
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