When most people think about the greatest athletes, they discuss statistics across a long career, individual accolades, and overall talent. That's all well and good, especially when you are talking about past players. Even when it comes to talking about active players the arguments begin to unfold, and no one can ever agree on the single greatest athlete in the game.
I've followed the NBA for years now, so I'm well aware that there are players that outshine others, whether it be LeBron, MJ, or Chamberlain. In today's NBA there are a lot of stars, up and comers, and even mediocre players. Players like Anthony Davis, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and Kristaps Porzingis continue to revolutionize the NBA, so without a doubt, I'd expect people to argue that they are the greatest players in the league. I've even said myself that these guys are unstoppable and insane. But I sincerely think that DeAndre Jordan is the greatest NBA player alive, but for a reason that isn't so mainstream.
He is one of the most subpar players in the league offensively, and he can't make a free throw for his life. But he has other stuff to offer that really gets the blood flowing when you watching him in a game.
This gif, for instance, displays one of the attributes about DeAndre Jordan that makes me say he is the best. He blocks shots. But they're not always so plain. The block he had on Steph Curry (above) was pretty intense, especially since it was in a clutch situation. But DeAndre Jordan has had some jaw dropping blocks in-game. I tried my hardest to find a gif that could outdo this one, but I had no luck.
His allure doesn't stop at blocks. If you're at all familiar with the NBA, you know that the Clippers are known as "Lob City." Essentially, this:
In this example, DeAndre Jordan catches an alley-oop and slams the ball through the hoop with ease. He was wide open for this dunk, but he'll catch alley-oops and dunk with a defender down his throat. One of the classic examples is:
The man who was sent to the floor is Brandon Knight. He clearly picked the wrong fight. That wasn't intentionally a rhyme, but I did a hell of a good job.
Although DeAndre Jordan doesn't offer much to his team, he offers great entertainment. That is the sole reason I think he is the best player at this time. He's responsible for 99% of shouting that occurs at a TV screen when the Clippers are airing. Maybe that reasoning is pretty poor, but in an everchanging NBA, Jordan never ceases to amaze, so you have to understand where I'm coming from.
