Back In The Day NBA

Are Today's Players Like Anthony Edwards Overlooking NBA Great Michael Jordan's 3-Point Shot?

Shandel Richardson

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Michael Jordan is often considered the greatest NBA player.

He's got the six rings in six Finals appearances. He's got scoring titles. The MVPs. The Defensive Player of the Year award. He's won the Dunk Contest.

About the only thing folks could somewhat criticize about Jordan's game was his 3-point shooting. Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards used it as an example to explain why he is a different player than Jordan.

In an interview with ESPN's Malika Andrews, Edwards appeared to say his ability to hit from the arc is an advantage he holds over Jordan.

“I want people to be like: this Anthony Edwards kid he got his own style," Edwards said. "He maybe got a mix of MJ in him.. but I can shoot the 3, so think that makes me a little different than Michael Jordan."

Even though Edwards is being called the "Next Jordan," sometimes people forget how effective Jordan was from the arc. They seem to remember the player who soared above everyone in the mid-80s and scored five points (on 30 shots) in the 3-point contest in 1990.

But it's unfair to just assume was not a solid shooter from the perimeter.


First, the 3-point shot wasn't prevalent as it is in today's game. Still, Jordan improved with the times. There were the six 3-pointers in the first half of the Chicago Bulls' Game 1 victory against the Portland Trail Blazers in the NBA Finals. He later proved he could do it over the course of the season when shot 42 percent (111 of 260) from the arc in 1995-96. That just so happened to be the Bulls' most dominating season, with Jordan scoring from all angles.

It's not that Jordan couldn't shoot the 3. He just didn't have to rely on it as much as today's players.

Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Back In The Day NBA. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com

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Shandel Richardson

SHANDEL RICHARDSON