CHICAGO — In the endless, churning cycle of NBA discourse, a new and particularly confusing narrative has taken hold among a segment of younger fans and social media pundits. The claim? That Michael Jordan, the widely accepted Greatest of All Time, didn’t have a “bag.”
For the uninitiated, “bag” is modern basketball slang for a player’s arsenal of offensive moves—dribble packages, counters, step-backs, and creative finishing ability. The argument suggests that because Jordan didn’t spam 15 dribbles per possession or dance at the three-point line like Kyrie Irving or James Harden, his game was “limited” or purely reliant on athleticism.
This week, a detailed video analysis from Hollywood Pulse took a sledgehammer to that narrative, using cold hard data and game tape from 1996 to prove that not only did Jordan have a bag, but he was also the architect of the very moves today’s stars are celebrated for.
Defining the “Bag”
The controversy stems from a misunderstanding of efficiency versus aesthetics. Modern highlight culture prizes the aesthetic of “cooking” a defender—multiple crossovers, hesitation moves, and deep threes. By this metric, players like Kyrie Irving are seen as having the “deepest bags” in history.
However, the counter-argument presented is simple: a “bag” isn’t about how many moves you use; it’s about having an answer for every defensive coverage.
“Jordan didn’t just have a plan A,” the analysis argues. “He had plan B, C, D, E, and F. Take away one move, he counters instantly. Shut down one spot, he relocates. That’s mastery.”
The video breakdown focuses on the 1996 season—a year when Jordan was 33 years old, arguably past his athletic apex but at the peak of his technical prowess. By examining five random, non-iconic games from that season, the analysis stripped away the nostalgia to look at the raw skill.
The Data Don’t Lie
The numbers from those random games are staggering and directly contradict the “limited skill” narrative.
In the sample size analyzed, the 1996 version of Jordan shot:
49.3% on jump shots
51.7% from the low post and mid-range combined
For context, the article compares these numbers to the elite scorers of the 2024-2025 NBA season. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, an MVP candidate known for his elite mid-range game, shoots roughly 50.7% from similar spots. Donovan Mitchell sits at 51.5%.
This reveals a startling truth: A 33-year-old Jordan, playing in an era with hand-checking, packed paints, and significantly less spacing, was as efficient—if not more so—than the best shot-creators of the modern era.
“That’s not nostalgia talking,” the breakdown asserts. “That’s proof that the bag was always there, fully loaded, and way ahead of its time.”
Efficiency vs. Excess
One of the key points raised is the difference in how Jordan used his skills compared to modern players. Today, offensive systems often encourage heliocentric play, where a star holds the ball for 10-15 seconds, hunting a mismatch.
Jordan operated within the Triangle Offense, a system predicated on quick decisions, ball movement, and spacing. He didn’t dribble 18 times because he didn’t need to.
“Jordan was more like: one move, two moves, bucket, done,” the analysis notes. “Get the points, keep the offense flowing… nothing kills an offense faster than one guy pounding the ball while four teammates stand around watching.”
This efficiency is often mistaken for simplicity by casual observers. But the “simplicity” of a one-dribble pull-up or a triple-threat jab step requires a level of footwork, balance, and reading of the defense that is arguably harder to master than a flashy crossover sequence.
The Blueprint for Today’s Stars
Perhaps the most ironic part of the “no bag” argument is that the players with the most respected “bags” today—Devin Booker, Kawhi Leonard, DeMar DeRozan, and the late Kobe Bryant—all modeled their games directly after Jordan.
Kobe Bryant, often cited by the “bag culture” crowd as the gold standard of skill, was famously a carbon copy of Jordan’s footwork and post game. If Kobe is the standard for skill, and his entire arsenal was derived from Jordan, the logic that Jordan lacked skill collapses instantly.
“Jordan was the blueprint, the foundation, the godfather of the modern scoring bag,” the report concludes. “Saying he didn’t have a bag is wild because if he wanted to, he could pull out four or five moves and score easy. Most of the time, he didn’t even need that.”
Why This Matters
Why does this debate matter? It reflects a growing disconnect between generations of basketball fans. As time passes, context is lost. Young fans see 30-second clips on TikTok and judge entire careers based on out-of-context aesthetics.
This revisionist history doesn’t just diminish Jordan; it diminishes the understanding of the game itself. It confuses “activity” with “achievement.”
The reality is that Michael Jordan’s “bag” was deep, lethal, and complete. He could beat you with finesse, power, speed, or intelligence. He mastered the post, the mid-range, the drive, and the mental game. He didn’t need to dance for the crowd because he was too busy destroying the opponent.
As the viral video aptly puts it: “Is this ignorance… or revisionist history trying to rewrite greatness?” The stats suggest it’s definitely the former.
