Former Portland Trail Blazers All-Star power forward Rasheed Wallace, who now hosts the Underdog podcast “Sheed & Tyler,” recently offered one of the most fiery takes in the history of fiery takes on a recent episode of the show. Former Portland guard Bonzi Wells was also a guest on the podcast.
Wallace, who played for Portland from 1996 to 2004, argued that Hall of Fame guard/forward Michael Jordan was actually more lethal during his two seasons with the Washington Wizards than he was during his 13 years with the Chicago Bulls, with whom he won six titles from 1991 to 1998 and five league MVP awards.
Although Jordan, who played from age 38 to 40 with the Wizards, was still an All-Star during his time in D.C., he was no longer an All-NBA or All-Defensive Team talent. Both teams finished 37-45, though the 2001-02 team had a good chance of at least reaching the playoffs before an injury cost Jordan 20 of the final 27 regular-season games.
“A phenomenal player again, but I think he was a little more dangerous when he was with the Wizards,” Wallace said. “He didn’t have the athleticism that we were used to seeing from MJ, but I agree with Bonzi, his angles were a little sharper… He was a solid two-point guard… [weren’t] I’m just going to move him around a little bit, and his shot has become more dangerous. He’s become more solid as a veteran player. [during] his years in Washington. It was like one of those “Don’t Leave It Open” [guys]… He’s still out there talking crap, but he’s making assists… His jump shot was still deadly. But what I love about it is that with him, he was this veteran player, where he was even on the court, coaching and guiding everybody. [those] young players.”
Wells and Wallace were both key contributors to the Trail Blazers during one of the team’s most successful stretches in recent memory. Wells played for Portland from 1998 to 2003. Wallace was named an All-Star in both his 1999–2000 and 2000–01 seasons with the Trail Blazers. Wells finished ninth in Most Improved Player voting during the 2000–01 season.
Portland’s most successful playoff run came in the 1999-2000 season, with Scottie Pippen, Jordan’s former Bulls teammate and world champion. Led by Rick Adelman, the team finished the season with a 59-23 record and advanced to the Western Conference Finals, where they faced the Shaquille O’Neal/Kobe Bryant-era Los Angeles Lakers. The Trail Blazers led the Lakers by 15 points in the fourth quarter of Game 7. There’s no need to go over what happened next.
More Trail Blazers: How Portland’s Brutal Schedule Could Pay Off in the Long Run
