Antawn Jamison Thinks Michael Jordan Can Still Play In NBA

Just about anything anyone from the Los Angeles Lakers says these days is news. Such is the case when you’re basketball’s most successful franchise and you happen to be in one of the world’s largest media markets. Mix in a healthy dose of underachievement like we’ve never seen before and suddenly any musings made by a man that wears a Purple and Gold jersey becomes the stuff of headlines.

Antawn Jamison has already had his moment in the headline department when he openly expressed his disappointment in his reduced role early in the season. Jamison has since returned to being a regular in Mike D’Antoni’s rotation so now he’s free to create a stir with very benign comments.

Next week the man many consider the G.O.A.T. of hoops turns 50. Last night the Lakers were in the house that Michael Jordan built as the Lake Show stormed back from 20 down to beat the Bobcats. So after the game it was only right for Jamison, a former North Carolina Tar Heel like MJ, to discuss the reality of His Airness making a return to the NBA.

Jamison is of the belief that even at age 50 Jordan could not only play in the NBA but also drop 10+ a night.

"“I wouldn’t doubt that in the right situation with a LeBron on his team or with a Kobe on this team, he could get you about 10 or 11 points, come in and play 15-20 minutes. I wouldn’t doubt that at all, especially if he was in shape and injuries were prevented and things of that nature.”"

Now before we get carried away and start discussing any odds on a Jordan comeback let’s keep this in perspective.

Jamison’s quotes comes courtesy of Dave McMenamin via ESPNLosAngeles.com. It just so happens ESPN is conducting a weeklong celebration of Jordan building towards the moment when he hits the big 5-0. So it’s only natural one of their many outlets begins plating the Jordan bug by stirring up quasi-comeback talk.

In reality it’s highly doubtful a 50-year-old, no matter his hoops pedigree or conditioning, could play 15-20 minutes a night for an entire 82 game NBA season. Sure, Jordan might be able to drop 10+ in an NBA game but asking him to do that every night is just foolish.