It's a common question among hardcore NBA fans: if Michael Jordan played in today's NBA, how many points could he average? While answers will vary depending on the person, Clippers coach (and former NBA point guard) Tyronn Lue says that 45 points per game would be a realistic number for the Chicago Bulls legend.
“He’d average 45,” said Lue. “You can’t touch nobody, it’s a foul. You got the best player in the world. He averaged 37 one year, so add eight to that. You can’t touch him, or he gets two free throws.
The game has changed a lot over the years, and while we don't know how Michael would have adapted, Lue believes the foul rules and modern defensive habits would create the perfect conditions for Jordan to thrive.
"The zone stuff could be a difference, and back then with illegal defense, but I don’t see why there couldn’t be a year he’d average 45. You can’t touch anybody; the physicality is pretty much gone. Just how smart he was, and especially nowadays, he’d take advantage of these guys as far as IQ alone.”
While many fans and critics disagree with Lue's statement, he has more authority than most to make such a claim. He played with Michael on the Wizards, and he also coached LeBron James during the Cavaliers' 2016 title run. He knows greatness when he sees it, and he's been around long enough to understand how the game has changed and evolved over time.
In an era defined by its grit and physicality, Michael was unstoppable and always found ways to exploit his opponents. Over 15 years in the NBA, Jordan averaged 30.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game on 49.7% shooting. He retired in 2003 as a 6x champion, 5x MVP, 10x scoring leader, and 14x All-Star.
Even back then, he wasn't far off from the 45-point mark. In the 1986-87 season, he averaged a whopping 37.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game on an efficient 48.2% shooting. Against the average modern defender, it's not unrealistic to think he could surpass that total by eight points.
So, if he were playing in today's era of minimal physicality, you can imagine how tough he'd be for the modern players to guard. Thanks to hand-checking rules and other adjustments to protect shooters, Michael would have gotten frequent trips to the free-throw line, where he shot 83.5% for his career.
While 45 points per game is practically unheard of in today's NBA, there's a case to be made that Michael could have done it, and Lue isn't the only one to feel that way. Jeff Van Gundy, George Karl, and even Chris Broussard have argued that Michael could at least average 40 in this current era.
Ultimately, we'll never get the chance to find out for ourselves, but the fact that it's even a debate proves just how special Jordan really was. The guy is more than a legend; he's a defining athlete of the game itself, and he set a standard for greatness that continues to stand to this day.
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