Alan Greenwood

And now we have resumption of hostilities between those who dare proclaim one star over another for the greatest basketball player of all time.

With ESPN’s mini-series on Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls, “The Last Dance,” the obvious comparison reared its head.

Is it Jordan or LeBron James? No indecisive shoulder shrugs are

allowed.

Some old cranks, including the one hunting and pecking through this essay, continue muttering support for Bill Russell. If speaking of the all-time MVP rather than the GOAT, a pretty fair argument could be made. In 13 NBA seasons, Russell’s Celtics won 11 championships. Toss in an Olympic gold medal and back-to-back NCAA championships at the University of San Francisco and Russell is a lock for basketball’s all-time MVP.

Rather than dredge up that stale argument on the definition of Most Valuable Player, consider this as a disclaimer.

So who is the most talented basketball player of all time? That would be Michael Jordan.

To those whose relationship with basketball history doesn’t stretch back into the 20th century, James is the only name in this conversation. Championships in Miami, another in Cleveland and the betting favorite for one with the Lakers, if the 2019-20 season resumes. His presence in the Top-10 plays on any given night cements the minds of this generation.

But if someone is open to reconsideration, watch “The Last Dance” one more time.

TIME TRAVEL: May 17, 1985 – “Portsmouth entered its girls track meet Thursday as one of the stronger teams in Class L, but the Clippers were overmatched against Nashua.

“The Purple Panthers posted first-place finishes in 11 events to win the 99-37, bringing their regular-season record to 17-1.

“Junior Chris Swakla took first in the 1,600-meter run in 5:30.0, ahead of teammates Robin Bernier and and Jeanette Howard. Swakla also won the 800-meter run in 2:29.5, edging Nashua’s Mary Bouchard and Jen Spacek. Tarin LaFrance also won two events, the shot put with a toss of 31 feet, 4 inches, and the discus at 95 feet, 3 inches.”

JUST SAY NO: World Baseball Softball Confederation president Riccardo Fraccari continues trying to convince Major League Baseball to encourage – or simply allow – its best players to participate in the 2021 Olympics. “We need to make sure our sport doesn’t get trampled over by other sports that are becoming more popular with younger audiences,” Fraccari in an Associated Press interview. “The coronavirus is going to make us understand how important the Olympics are for baseball and softball.”

Actually MLB has far more to worry about than its presence at the Olympics. Going dark for two weeks next summer, praying that none of its stars are injured in the Games, promises no real return.

Contact Alan Greenwood at 594-1248 or agreenwood@nashuatelegraph.com.