Dennis Rodman believes Miami Heat superstar LeBron James would be only "average" if he played in the 1990s. He insists that it's a different era today, one where they complain about fouls, and that it'd be "no contest" between his best Bulls team and the Heat, ESPN reports.
"It's really not a comparison. If LeBron was playing in the late '80s and early '90s, he would be just an average player," Rodman said Friday on the "Dan Patrick Show." "To do what Michael has done ... what he did was more charisma, there was more articulating and stuff like that. LeBron is more like ... there's no flash to his game. He's a great player, don't get me wrong, he's a hell of a player, I'll give him that. But to me Scottie (Pippen) and Michael are probably the two best one-two punches I've ever seen."
Rodman, 52, won three NBA championships with Jordan and the Bulls from 1996-98. The two-time Defensive Player of the Year also thinks if Jordan played in the league today, with all its new rules, Jordan would average at least 40 points a night.
"It's a whole different era. ... LeBron came into the age of the game at a perfect time. Michael came into the game when back then you could hit people, knock him down, shoot a free throw and get back up," Rodman said. "And LeBron can't do that. All they do today is (complain) about a foul. All they do is (complain)."
As for a game between Rodman's best Bulls team and James' Heat?
"It would be no contest. The Heat has better talent than we had, but we had smarter players," Rodman said. "That's the only thing we had, smarter players. ... I would take Bosh out of his damn game easy. That's not even a problem. And how would Dwyane Wade match up with Scottie Pippen? Really? And Scottie Pippen would guard LeBron easy. And how are you going to cover those two guys (Jordan and Pippen)?"
Part 2:
