Former NBA champion Rasheed Wallace has caused a stir in the basketball world with his recent comments about Michael Jordan’s defensive skills. In a candid discussion on The Sheed & Tyler Show, Wallace challenged the widely-held belief that Jordan was one of the best defenders of his era.

Wallace, who is known for his outspoken views, argued that Jordan’s defensive prowess was overstated. He remarked, “Mike wasn’t all that good of a defender. All that’s NBA st, yeah we like Mike, we gonna put him up there. I’m talking about being out there, I seen this motherf****r get his a bust, where he couldn’t stop a motherf****r against JR Rider. Probably against Clyde Drexler. Don’t forget the early Joe Dumars.”

Despite Jordan’s accolades, including the 1998 NBA Defensive Player of the Year award and nine All-Defensive First Team selections, Wallace contends that his defensive impact wasn’t as significant as often portrayed.

“I’m not saying that he didn’t play defense. I’m just saying that his defense wasn’t as high as most other cats at that time. I couldn’t put him on like 10 or 11 consecutive first-team All-Defensive joints,” Wallace added.

The comments have ignited a fierce debate among basketball enthusiasts. Jordan’s supporters have taken to social media to defend his defensive legacy, arguing that Wallace’s perspective overlooks Jordan’s achievements and the competitive context of his career. One fan remarked, “You can’t call someone overrated on defense if they’ve won DPOY, don’t matter the player,” while another suggested Wallace’s views might be influenced by personal biases.

As the debate rages on, the basketball community is left to ponder the impact of Wallace’s bold statements on Jordan’s storied legacy and whether they will prompt a response from the basketball icon himself.