Michael Jordan forces Denny Hamlin to challenge his deeply ingrained belief in modern athleticism.
Denny Hamlin questions the evolution of athletes but can MJ Dominate today’s NBA?
Right before NASCAR’s Martinsville advance, Hamlin and Frank Fleming got their heart rates up walking around the oldest active track on the season schedule. The duo talked about a “hard comparison” between the various athletes of today and the legends of the yesteryears.
Two-decade NASCAR Veteran Denny Hamlin said, “I know it’s a hard comparison but I believe athletes today, basketball players. I don’t care what technique it is. Football, basketball and it’s maybe an unpopular opinion. They’re better today than they were 20 years ago because they started early. Have more technology. More analytics. More things. They’re more educated on how to be better today than they were back in the day. They had to just be naturally talented…”
But his host had a very enriching reply to Denny’s initial sentiments, taking the ironic example of 23XI’s co-owner Michael Jordan. “Well, there’s one guy. There’s one guy, who I think stands above them all, and could. If he was given the ability to play in today’s sports science technology, he’d be superhuman and I’m talking about your co-owner, Michael Jordan.”
“100%” agreed Denny, retracting his initial statement as he announced, “What I loved about him and watching him is that he did anything he could to be better than everyone else. We saw it with Kobe Bryant as well… Now given his work ethic and the technology that you’re saying is available today. Absolutely, 100%. Unstoppable especially when you look at how the rules have changed in sports over time. It’s become softer right? “
Is NASCAR getting softer?
Frank Fleming let his opinion be known when he said, “I think I think if Jordan played today. He’d average 50 points for his career.” It is safe to say, with 6 NBA championship rings followed by consequent Finals MVP awards, that could have very well been the reality for MJ. But with three Daytona 500 titles, 53 Cup Series race wins, and no championships to show in an incredible racing career, Denny Hamlin’s hunger looks largely unsatisfied as he steps into his 18th consecutive year as a Joe Gibbs driver.
In these eighteen years, Denny Hamlin steadily built his acclaim becoming one of the winningest active drivers in NASCAR, while making the sanctioning body’s 75 Greatest Drivers list. Like his business partner Michael Jordan, Denny has more than enough credentials and accolades to hang with arguably the Greatest NBA player of all time. But with a rapidly evolving field catching up to Hamlin’s age with each passing weekend, does he truly think excitements are turning “softer” for the world’s premier stock car racing experience?
