"Jordan was the better defender and tougher competitor" - Jay Bilas explained why MJ was a better overall player than Len Bias

“Jordan was the better defender and tougher competitor” – Jay Bilas explained why MJ was a better overall player than Len Bias originally appeared on Basketball Network.

Many say that the late Len Bias could have been the rival that Michael Jordan never had in the NBA. Bias was the Boston Celtics’ No.2 overall pick in the 1986 NBA Draft, but passed away two days later after a drug overdose.

ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas saw both Jordan and Bias firsthand in the NCAA, and he agrees that Len had the skillset to reach the same heights that Michael did. The Maryland standout would have been one of the greatest if he had played a full career in the NBA.

“Len Bias was an all-time great college player, and would have been an all-time great NBA player,” said Bilas. “He was Superman. Bias was a great jump-shooter and a far superior shooter to Jordan in college. Bias was a powerful leaper and a spectacular two-footed jumper.”

Jordan and Bias played against each other four times in college

Bilas knows what he is talking about. He was a four-year starter for Mike Krzyzewski at Duke from 1982 to 1986. He watched Bias and Jordan dominate the ACC after Ralph Sampson left in 1983.

Michael and Len faced each other four times. On January 12, 1984, Bias outscored Jordan 24-21, but the Tar Heels won the game. Later that year, he led Maryland to the ACC title while winning tournament MVP honors. On the other hand, MJ was named the 1984 ACC Player of the Year and then left for the NBA. With Mike gone, Len became the best player in the ACC and won that award in 1985 and 1986.

“In his senior season, Bias averaged over 23 points and shot over 50% from the floor, primarily as a jump-shooting forward. He also shot over 80% from the foul line. But as great as Bias was, and he was just awesome, Jordan was the better overall player. Jordan was the better defender and the tougher competitor. Still, the fact that it is even a discussion demonstrates just how great Len Bias was,” added Bilas.

Len would have made the Celtics unstoppable

However, while Bilas thinks that Jordan was better than Bias, former Los Angeles Lakers guard Michael Cooper once said that if Bias played alongside Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish, his Lakers team would be no match for the Celtics and their rivalry would be one-sided.

“Had Boston got Len Bias, and they played against us, they would’ve beaten our a— every time. That’s how good Len Bias was,” Cooper said on “The No Chill Podcast”. “Len Bias was a better player, or just as good a player, as James Worthy. This kid could jump out of the gym, could shoot a jump shot, run the floor, and block shots with the best of ’em. Had Boston got him, it would’ve been hard for us to beat them. I don’t think we’d ever beat them again.’

Many say that Len would have become a much better player playing alongside the Boston “Big 3” and learning from them. Perhaps he could have gotten good enough to become better than MJ. But even if not, everyone agreed that Bias was already good enough to rival Jordan.

This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 6, 2025, where it first appeared.

“Jordan was the better defender and tougher competitor” – Jay Bilas explained why MJ was a better overall player than Len Bias

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