Let's Talk About How Wrong Channing Frye is About Michael Jordan

Yesterday I talked about the final two episodes of "The Last Dance" and mentioned how some modern day players are crazy for suggesting that Jordan isn't the greatest to ever play. I mentioned Channing Frye because he was the first person I really saw take this stance. He is wrong.

Frye’s comment, and I quote, was "he only had one job and that was to just score. He did that at an amazing, amazing rate. But I don't feel like his way of winning then would translate to what it is now. Guys wouldn't want to play with him". This is a loaded statement from a journeyman bench player his entire NBA career. In fact, the only reason Frye is still even being talked about is because he played with LeBron, who many current day players, and young kids, think is the greatest. If it were anyone that didn't play with LeBron, this would be totally pushed aside. But, I kind of want to break down this comment piece by piece, and I am not the only person to do this recently. Scott Van Pelt, of ESPN, dragged him the other night. He did actual research, and proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that Frye's statement was absurd. He mentioned the scoring, but also mentioned how he was all defense all the time. Jordan might be the best perimeter defender the game saw in the 90's. I guess Frye didn't research that. Richard Jefferson, a former teammate said that all Frye was doing was "trolling a bit online". I know they're friends, but come on, this is more than "trolling". Jefferson even went on to text him, telling Frye, "it's not the time or the place". Then Tracy McGrady, on "the Jump", went on to quote things Jordan did outside of scoring. He mentioned that he was the 87-88 Defensive Player of the Year, had two seasons where he had 200 steals and 100 blocks and earned all defense nine times, tied for a NBA record. McGrady also said, "he did way more than just score the basketball, he won Ships". That is a tremendous quote. Also, before I get dragged, I know Frye has one title, but he barely saw the floor on that Cavs team. His title is like Jeremy Lin getting a ring last year.

Look, I am a big time proponent of calling Jordan the GOAT. RD and I have discussed this, I have written about it numerous times and I talk about it during any basketball conversation I have. "The Last Dance" only further proved that. But lets take that dive into Frye's statement now, as I assume his perception is LeBron is the GOAT. I think LeBron is the second or third greatest ever, but Jordan is so far ahead of the second place guy for a myriad of reasons. Frye made the "only a scorer" comment. Bull shit. Tracy McGrady and Scott Van Pelt proved that wrong with statistics. My eyeballs proved that wrong by growing up watching him play. I was a die hard Sonics fan as a kid, and I remember that 72 win team shellacking everyone except Shawn Kemp in the Finals. They stopped everyone else. The guards couldn't do a damn thing against Jordan and Pippen. I bet you the Suns and Trailblazers and Lakers and Jazz fans all have the exact same memories. Or what about the Dream Team stifling Toni Kukoc? That was all about Jordan deciding he wanted to stop him. He had no other reason to do that, other than to show people he could stimy the best European player at the time. Jordan was a defensive force to be reckoned with. Also, he had to be the captain and coach on the floor. He had to place everyone, he ran the show, he set guys up and put them in the best possible spot to score. Just ask Steve Kerr, John Paxson, Horace Grant, Scottie Pippen, Ron Harper and a myriad of others. Once he began to trust teammates, they got shots they were never getting before. As for the scoring, that was the only thing Frye got “right”. Jordan is the greatest scorer ever. He was able to get to the hoop in the toughest, rawest and hardest era to do it. He played in the NBA when you had to be crushed to get a free throw. Look at the way the Pistons, Knicks and Pacers played him. They tried to hurt him, yet he still got 30 plus regularly. I don’t think any modern guy could handle being roughed up like Jordan was. Today’s players gripe about EVERYTHING. If they miss a layup, they look at the official. They get a little tap, they flop. There is so much complaining, it has slowed the game down. Imagine how James Harden or LeBron would react to someone throwing them to the ground. They would have a hissy fit. Jordan went out, got tougher and dominated. He could also shoot. Remember six threes against Portland? The shot to win the title in 98 over the Jazz? The shot over Craig Ehlo? Yeah, Jordan was a scorer Channing Frye, he’s the best scorer EVER.

Then Frye had the most telling thing ever in his statement with the “it wouldn’t translate to today. Guys wouldn’t want to play with him”. That says so much more about the current state of the NBA than I think Frye wanted to reveal. First off, and I’ve said it before, the star players in the current NBA are soft. LeBron, Harden, Doncic, KD, Steph and Klay, Kyrie, all they do is bitch and moan when they don’t get what they want. They also act like fake tough guys. Today’s stars are posers. They think they’re tough, but they’re not. They couldn’t handle the physicality that Jordan took on a nightly basis. Look, I think LeBron would’ve been a great player in the 90’s, just like Karl Malone was. I also think these Jordan would’ve beat him, and beat him bad. He would’ve made it his mission.

Which brings me to Frye’s final thought, “guys wouldn’t want to play with him”. You know what, Jordan wouldn’t have wanted to play with them, he would’ve wanted to beat them. Modern NBA is consumed with the “super team”. From the time Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen joined Paul Pierce in Boston, the NBA changed. It all became about stacking the deck. No one wanted a challenge. After Boston, we had the “Heatles”. Then LeBron going back to Cleveland, but only if they traded for Kevin Love. Then there was KD joining the 73 win Warriors. And now we have KD and Kyrie in Brooklyn, Kawhi and Paul George on the Clippers. And LeBron all but forcing the Lakers to trade their future for Anthony Davis. Stars don’t want a challenge, Jordan did.

Channing Frye has accomplished more than I could ever dream of, but this was a Skip Bayless or Colin Cowherd esque statement. It was dumb, poor timing, reeks of resentment and jealousy, but most of all, it was flat out wrong. I’m glad he’s getting ripped by everyone because he should be. This was a Bill Simmons, and The Ringer, type dumbass statement that shows the younger generation doesn’t know much about 80’s and 90’s basketball, and are prisoners of the moment. Jordan is the GOAT. There is no question anymore.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

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