Michael Jordan says he wanted to beat Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, not join them. (AFP)

Michael Jordan understood why LeBron James decided to leave Cleveland and team up with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami. However, in hindsight, Jordan likely would not have done the same if given the same choice.

Call it an old-school mentality, call it ego, call it what you want. Jordan didn’t take shortcuts. What made him such a great player was his incredible drive and extremely competitive nature. He wanted to be the best and refused to play second fiddle to anyone. Sure, he got cozy with lot of his peers during his playing days, but when it came time to compete on the basketball court MJ wanted to destroy all of them.

So, when Jordan, who retired in 2003, was asked what he thought about James’ decision to join forces with his All-Star friends in Miami, the six-time NBA champion who built his entire legacy with the Chicago Bulls said he simply couldn’t see himself teaming with Magic Johnson and Larry Bird just so he could win a championship. He wanted to do it on his own, as the No. 1 alpha dog.

“I would have never called up Larry and called up Magic and say ‘Hey, let’s get together and play on one team.’ But things are different. I can’t say that’s a bad thing. That’s an opportunity those kids have today,” Jordan recently told NBC Sports in between rounds at the 2010 American Century Championship golf tournament in Lake Tahoe.

“In all honesty, I was trying to beat those guys [Larry and Magic],” Jordan continued. “I don’t know if they would have been on my team, if we would have been on one team.”

The idea of “if you can’t beat them, join them” approach was never an option for Jordan. Magic and Bird would never subscribe to that either. All three MVPs had too much pride to hitch on someone else’s championship wagon. It would have been real easy for Jordan to join either Magic’s team in L.A. or Bird’s team in Boston while he was chasing his first NBA title. But he didn’t.

Jordan suffered through miserable playoff defeats to the Celtics and the Detroit Pistons during the first six seasons of his career before finally getting over the hump in his seventh year when his Bulls defeated Magic’s Lakers in 1991.

The only exception to the rule was the 1992 Olympics when Jordan, Magic and Bird wore the same uniform for Team USA, and they were joined by fellow All-Stars Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, David Robinson, Karl Malone, John Stockton, Chris Mullin, Scottie Pippen and Clyde Drexler.

“When you look at the Dream Team, obviously, we were all on that team,” Jordan said. “But it wasn’t too much of a competitive thing.”

LeBron James says he keeps tabs of all the nay-sayers and will probably post some of them in his Heat locker for motivation. Though James holds Jordan in high regard, MJ’s latest comment could be bulletin-board material and the Charlotte Bobcats (Jordan’s team) could be in a heap of trouble.

In the NBA, Michael Jordan became a champion with a big assist from Scottie Pippen.

With Pippen as his wingman, Jordan won six NBA championships and six Finals MVPs with the Chicago Bulls. Pippen was the Robin to Jordan’s Batman. He was the ultimate No. 2 option to basketball’s No. 1 option. He was the perfect complement to the man many consider as the G.O.A.T.

Whenever Jordan needed help on offense, Pippen willingly shouldered some of the burden. During the Bulls’ championship run in the 1990s, it was Pippen who initiated and ran Phil Jackson’s triangle offense in Chicago.

Whenever Jordan needed help on defense, it was Pippen who often drew the assignment of guarding the other team’s best scorer to keep Jordan from getting into foul trouble.

And when Jordan was sick and needed someone to pick him up, Pippen was there to pick him up. During Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals, Jordan was so sick he barely had the strength to return to the bench. Who was there to help him? Pippen.

You can’t mention Jordan’s accomplishments without giving credit to his famous sidekick.

Pippen finally got his due when he was recently named to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, as class that includes Karl Malone, Bob Hurley Sr., Cynthia Cooper and Dennis Johnson.

Pippen certainly deserved to be enshrined in Springfield, Mass. He was a seven-time NBA All-Star, an eight-time member of the NBA’s all-defensive team, won six championship rings, a member of the Dream Team in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and named to the NBA’s 50th Anniversary Team.

As the leading man, Pippen also took two teams – the 1994 Bulls and the 2000 Portland Trail Blazers – to the conference finals. Jordan never got past the conference semifinals without Pippen.

The former Central Arkansas standout was one of the most versatile players in the league history. He played four positions on offense and was a very capable scorer. He could drive to the basket at will and finish with either hand, and when defenders backed off he made himself into a decent 3-point shooter.

Defense was Pippen’s calling card. With the exception of Bill Russell, Pippen could very well be the greatest defensive player in league history. His lengthy 6-foot-8 frame allowed him to guard any perimeter player. When the Bulls needed a stopper in the 1991 NBA Finals against the Lakers’ 6-9 point guard Magic Johnson, Jackson summoned Pippen to stifle the leader of Showtime. And he did.

In Jackson’s defensive scheme, Pippen was the shutdown corner and Jordan was the free safety.

Though no one will ever question who was better between Jordan or Pippen, the fact remains that Jordan never won a championship without Pippen. To bring home the trophy, you need a good wingman. Just like Magic needed Kareem, Bird needed McHale, West needed Wilt and Shaq needed Kobe.

LeBron James will likely wear a number next season. For what team? James won't say. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

LeBron James revealed last night that he is thinking about changing his jersey number.

James told TNT’s Craig Sager that he will likely ditch No. 23 and switch to No. 6 – the number he wore when he played for Team USA in the Olympics – as his way of honoring his idol Michael Jordan, who was in attendance at American Airlines Arena in Miami to watch James’ Cleveland Cavaliers play Dwyane Wade’s Miami Heat Thursday night.

“He’s the greatest basketball player to ever play the game,” James said of Jordan. “I’ve been thinking about it lately and what I’m gonna do is I think I’m gonna change my number next year. No guy in the NBA should ever wear 23.”

James believes that since Jordan can’t get the NBA logo, the best way to recognize his greatness and contribution to the growth of the league is to retire his No. 23 around the league.

“His number shouldn’t be worn by any player in the NBA,” James said. “What he did for this game, he laid down the stepping stone for everybody who came up through the ranks. That’s how much respect I have for a guy like that.”

Now that LeBron has committed to a new jersey number, Sager tried to get him to commit to a team in 2010 to which James replied: “We’ll see.”

What? Did Jordan just say “shit” on national television? Wow. What a way to bust through the doors of basketball immortality. And the worst part about it, the audience thought it was hilarious. Jordan would have been better served had he just say “thanks” after tears began to flow before he spoke. But he didn’t. Though part of his speech was candid and heartfelt, a big part of it lacked humility and was very smug.

Michael Jordan, worshiped by the basketball world as the God of the Game and valedictorian of this year’s Hall-of-Fame class, showed very little class in an event that was supposed to highlight the greatness of the sport. The fact that most found his comment to be entertaining just shows the man crush we as a sports community have for Jordan, especially the local and national media.

The bro-mance between Jordan the media is worse than any reality TV show. ESPN’s Stuart Scott gushes over him. Sportswriter and PTI host Michael Wilbon worships the hardwood he walks on. And TNT/NBA TV’s Ahmad Rashad is practically Jordan’s BFF.

Michael Jordan smoked the competition during his 15-year NBA career, and he's not afraid to tell about it.

When Jordan says “jump,” we say “how high?” When Jordan says “bark like a dog,” we say “whoof! whoof!”

It just shows the incredible adulation and undying support we shower Jordan just because he’s Michael Jordan. He’s our generation’s Babe Ruth. He’s the greatest basketball player who ever lived. He’s Sho ‘Nuff, the shogun of Harlem. Bow and kiss his Nike!

It didn’t matter that Jordan had plenty of indiscretions. Because he can play above the rim, most have afforded him an above-the-law platinum card. His loyal followers  look the other way whenever his character is questioned, ignoring his gambling problem, his infidelities and his bullish ways.

He certainly displayed that lack of regard throughout his induction speech.

He made fun of Jeff Van Gundy, calling him “the little guy” on Pat Riley’s coaching staff, brushed off Magic Johnson and Isiah Thomas for the so-called “freeze out” during the 1985 All-Star Game (talk about holding a grudge), called out former Utah Jazz guard Bryon Russell, and basically threw his former GM Jerry Krause under the buss.

Jordan reopened a decade-long wound by remembering Krause’s infamous “organizations win championships, not players” statement. Jordan’s response to that was: organizations did not play sick in Game 5 vs. the Jazz in 1997, organizations did not play through a bum ankle vs. the Celtics in 1986, and organizations did not hit game-winning shots in the NBA Finals.

Basically, Jordan gave the big middle finger to the man who helped him win six NBA titles and the architect of building the Chicago Bulls Dynasty with his acquisitions of Scottie Pippen, Horace Grant, Ron Harper, Steve Kerr, Dennis Rodman, Toni Kukoc, and the hiring of coach Phil Jackson.

I guess Air Jordan didn’t mind airing his dirty laundry in front of the world, and forgot all the good things Krause did for the “organization.”

C’mon, Mike. We all know how good you are. You don’t have to rub it in our faces.

Jordan mentioned his children but wasn’t exactly poignant in his delivery. He mentioned how much tickets at the Hall of Fame Gala have gone up to $1,000, showing Jordan’s disdain for throwing money around – unless it’s on the golf course or at the casino table.

Jordan tries to portray himself as a family man but his home life is not exactly picture perfect. A colleague once told me that Jordan’s alleged extramarital relations puts Magic Johnson’s rumored sexcapades to shame. Jordan mentioned his ex-wife, Juanita, who was noticeably absent from the festivities, but failed to recognize his gal pal Yvette Prieto, who sat next to him on the front row. Somewhere out there, Karla Knafel is also fuming.

On a night that was supposed to celebrate the game of basketball, Jordan found a way to muck it up, sticking his tongue out and showing the ugly side of his personality.

Michael Jordan left a lasting impression in the game of basketball.

What would the world look like without Michael Jordan? For one, there would be no Kobe Bryant. Two, there would be no Dwyane Wade. And three, there would be no LeBron James.

Greatness can’t be measured by statistics. True greatness is defined by a player’s legacy. Michael Jordan’s impact in the sport can be seen through his basketball sons: Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.

In a lot of ways, Jordan can be held responsible for practically raising Bryant, 31, Wade, 27, and James, 24, through his profound impact in the game. He educated them in how to work hard, play hard and dominate, setting the bar for them to jump over.

In short, Air Jordan showed his apprentices how to be great.

When we see Kobe, aka The Black Mamba, we see Jordan’s thirst for perfection, his mannerisms and incredible will to win. When we see D-Wade, aka The Flash, we see Jordan’s history in Chicago and the impact he’s had in that community where Wade grew up in. And when we see LeBron, aka King James, we see No. 23. We see the relentless attacking style that Jordan unveiled early on in his career. It is style that features an ability to get to the basket, absorb contact and score, and finishing with power.

Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Kobe Bryant are still chasing Michael Jordan's shadow.

“He’s the master. He’s the guy that really perfected the game. Taught me a lot about the game of basketball, and how to prepare and leadership and competitive spirit,” Bryant said of Jordan, a member of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame class of 2009, a class that includes John Stockton, David Robinson, Jerry Sloan and Vivian Stringer.

Because Bryant came into the NBA in 1996, he is one of just a handful of active players who had the opportunity to go head to head against Jordan when he was still considered the Top Gun. Wade and James entered the league after Jordan retired for the third and final time and never got a chance to test their skills against the six-time NBA Finals MVP, five-time regular season MVP, 10-time scoring champion and six-time world champion.

Bryant, Wade and James are no different than any other player in the Association. Even though all three All-Stars have already accomplished a lot in their careers (Bryant is a four-time NBA champion and 2008 MVP, Wade is a world champion and 2006 Finals MVP and James is the reigning league MVP), in some ways they’re still following the template Jordan built more than 25 years ago. In so many levels, they’re all chasing his records, his championships and his enormous fanbase, and jealously admiring the Air Jordan silhouette that is embedded on shoes, billboards, headbands, beverages, baseball caps, sweaters, T-shirts, shorts, sweat pants and socks.

Before Facebook, MySpace and Twitter, people got to see Michael Jordan through the power of videos. VHS style! If you were a true basketball fan, you owned a tape of “Come Fly With Me” and “Michael Jordan’s Playground.”

As products of the ESPN generation, Kobe, D-Wade and LeBron – along with millions of fans around the world thanks to the growth of cable television – got see Jordan up close and personal through video highlights on SportsCenter. They mimicked his every move from the tongue action, to the way he wore his shorts, to the one-handed ball fakes, to the way he licked his fingers and how he chewed his gum, to the way he dominated the basketball, to the way he clamped down on defense and to the way he imposed his signature in each and every game he competed in.

Sometimes, they even sound like Jordan.

Try watching one of Bryant’s interviews or Wade’s or James’ and tell me how many times they refer to the sport as “the game of basketball.” Kobe just did it a few paragraphs ago. That’s a Jordan influence.

Because of his undeniable influence in today’s generation of superstars, Michael Jordan’s legend has grown exponentially. MJ may be retired but we still see flashes of him.

Everybody still wants to Be Like Mike.

LeBron James' game-winning shot in Game 2 tied the Eastern Conference finals at 1-1. (GETTY IMAGES)

Cleveland Cavaliers Coach Mike Brown said it best. It was an amazing shot by an amazing player.

The legend of LeBron James grew exponentially with his game-winning, buzzer-beating 3-pointer in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Orlando Magic in Cleveland that more than likely saved the Cavaliers’ season. The 96-95 victory tied the series at 1 with the next two games in Orlando.

James’ shot over Hedo Turkoglu will now be replayed in the minds of long-suffering Cleveland fans, who until May 22, 2009, has never been able to erase the painful memory of Michael Jordan’s shot over Craig Ehlo 20 years ago. On May 7, 1989, a day that has lived in infamy to many Cavalier fans, Jordan broke free from Larry Nance, dribbled to the top of the free throw line, rose up, hung in the air as Ehlo flew by and rattled home the game-winning shot that eliminated Cleveland in the first round.

The shot over Ehlo … GOOD! The Bulls win! The Bulls win!

It was one of Jordan’s defining moments in the NBA playoffs and the league has milked it to the point where many Jordan-haters, and most of them live in Ohio, are heading for the restroom with one finger in their mouths and losing their lunch in a porcelain bowl.

Enter LeBron James. The Akron, Ohio, native who has witnessed and endured some of Cleveland’s heartaches, changed the course of history with one dramatic shot – a shot that foiled Orlando’s 23-point comeback and a shot taken by No. 23 from 23 feet.

The shot over Hedo … GOOD! Cavs win! Cavs win!

“The other 23 is on the good side now. The other 23 is gone, so we don’t have to worry about that no more,” James said. “To hit a shot like that at the buzzer, at home … wow!”

Before The Shot that rocked Cleveland, Turkoglu put the Magic head 95-93 when he swished a jumper from the top of the free throw line. Images of John Elway driving the Denver Broncos 98 yards against the Cleveland Browns, Earnest Byner fumbling the ball near the goal line and Indians closer Jose Mesa blowing a lead in the ninth inning of the World Series began to resurface. Then, with one flick of the wrist, James exorcised Cleveland’s demons.

“I was punch-drunk. I couldn’t move,” said Cavaliers guard Mo Williams, who was credited for delivering a pin-point inbounds pass that allowed an easy catch-and-shoot for James with 1.0 showing on the clock.

Williams admitted he had his eyes on LeBron, and only LeBron, on the last play. “Option A was LeBron. Option B was LeBron. Option C was LeBron. Option D was Big Game James,” he said.

James said the initial play for was Williams to throw him the lob pass, but Turkoglu played it well. So, James broke free to the top of the 3-point line, caught the ball, rose up over Turkoglu, released the ball before the red line went on and rattled home the shot that could become the signature snap shot of his career.

“I was going to come get the ball no matter what happened. I knocked down the shot. Biggest shot I’ve made in my career.” James said. “A second is a long time for me, for other it is very short. As a kid you practice those moments … five, four, three, two, one, eeehh! Currr! You don’t have to be in the NBA to know what I’m talking about.”

The magnitude of the shot was not lost on Brown. He knew the Cavs had one shot at either going down 0-2 or tying the series 1-1. “Just to have the wherewithal to have that type of confidence in yourself, to know there’s one second on the clock and you’re ending this thing right now, and if it doesn’t end right now, I have big enough shoulders to take care of what the outcome is,” Brown said. “Not many people could do it.”

Thanks to LeBron James, the city of Cleveland can finally sleep on sweet dreams and not be awakened by the nightmare of Jordan’s Shot, Elway’s Drive and Byner’s Fumble.

Michael Jordan was named NBA regular-season MVP five times; John Stockton holds the all-time record for assists and steals; and David Robinson was the league MVP in 1994-95 season. (GETTY IMAGES)

When a Hall of Fame class includes arguably the greatest player of all time, arguably the greatest point guard in NBA history, arguably one of the best centers of his generation, arguably one of the greatest coaches in NBA history and arguably one of the best coaches of all time in women’s basketball, then it’s officially the greatest collection of inductees that will take the podium in Springfield, Mass.

Hard to argue against the selection of Michael Jordan, John Stockton, David Robinson, Jerry Sloan and C. Vivian Stringer – a star-studded list that make up the 2009 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame class.

Jordan, Stockton, Robinson and Sloan were all elected in their first year of consideration into the Hall of Fame, while Stringer has been named a finalist in prior years. To be elected, finalists need 18 of 24 votes from the Honors Committee for election into the Basketball Hall of Fame. The class of 2009 will be enshrined during festivities in Springfield on Sept. 10-12.

A closer look at the newest members of the Basketball Hall of Fame:

Michael Jordan – Player, is one of the most recognized figures in the sporting world. Jordan was selected as a unanimous collegiate All-American twice (1983, 1984) at the University of North Carolina where he won an NCAA Championship and received both Naismith and Wooden Award Honors. He went on to a storied NBA career with the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards and was a 14-time NBA All-Star, a five-time NBA MVP, a six-time NBA Finals MVP, and won multiple All-NBA First Team honors while winning six NBA Championships. Jordan was also named NBA Defensive Player of the Year (1988) and was a nine-time member of the NBA All-Defensive Team. The NBA’s Rookie of the Year in 1985, Jordan was also named to the NBA’s 50th Anniversary Team and won two Olympic Gold Medals including one with the original “Dream Team” in 1992 and one as a collegian in 1984.

David Robinson – Player, spent his entire NBA career with the San Antonio Spurs, guiding them to two NBA Championships while being named to 10 NBA All-Star Teams, four All-NBA First Team Selections, one NBA League MVP and was selected to the NBA’s 50th Anniversary Team. Robinson also won two Olympic Gold Medals, including his participation on the legendary 1992 “Dream Team” and with the 1996 Gold Medal Olympic team. During Robinson’s college career at the U.S. Naval Academy, he earned Player of the Year, Naismith and Wooden Honors while leading the nation in rebounding and blocked shots.

Jerry Sloan – Coach, began his coaching career as an Assistant Coach with the Chicago Bulls before beginning his tremendous career with the Utah Jazz. He is the only coach in NBA history to win over 1,000 games with a single team while compiling a winning percentage of over .600. Sloan led the Jazz to two NBA Finals, 18 playoff appearances and is fourth on the NBA list of coaching victories. Sloan was also named as the Sporting News NBA Coach of the Year in 2004.

John Stockton – Player, spent his entire NBA career with the Utah Jazz, accumulating 15,806 assists and 3,265 steals – both NBA records at his retirement. He was named to 10 NBA All-Star teams and was selected as a member of the NBA’s 50th Anniversary Team while leading the Jazz to two NBA Finals. He was also named to the All-NBA First Teams in 1994 and 1995. Like Robinson, Stockton won two Olympic Gold Medals (1992, 1996) and was a member of the original “Dream Team.”

C. Vivian Stringer – Coach, has won more than 800 games in her career and currently ranks third on the women’s all-time career wins list. She is the first coach to lead three different schools to the NCAA Final Four including Cheyney State, the University of Iowa and Rutgers University where she is currently. Coach Stringer is also enshrined at the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.

Note: The individual profiles were provided by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass., the birthplace of basketball. The Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame promotes and preserves the game of basketball at every level worldwide – professional, collegiate, men and women.