My daughter is 11, the two NBA players she knows the best?
LeBron and Kobe.
Jordan retired the first time in 1998, so I can see why kids born in the 2000s might have this reaction.
Told 4th grade class I've written abt Michael Jordan. Blank stares. Teacher said, "The man who makes Air Jordans." They got it. #TimeFlies
— Phil Taylor (@SI_PhilTaylor) June 4, 2015
If you think about there is more talk about Jordan Sneakers than Jordan the player. Jordan the player only comes up in comparison to the guys of today, but a lot of the people doing the comparing never saw or were really young when Jordan played.
I was in my teens, so the memories are a little fuzzy, but I clearly remember all of his Finals wins, but in another 10-20 years, more people will be talking about LeBron and Kobe. Just like before Jordan they talked about Russell and Wilt.
Just the way things goes.
Phil Taylor is great by the way, I remember him writing about Jordan and the NBA when I was studying to be a journalist, if that makes him feel any better.