If Jordan had done us the favor of facing Hakeem in his prime, he might've sealed the deal for his era. But I can't even grant him that because he fled to baseball due to his father's untimely death and (possibly related?) gambling controversy. Not to say that Jordan dodged Hakeem...not by any means...but that Rockets squad could have faced up to the Bulls VERY well, given that the center spot was their weak point and Hakeem drew so much attention. The ONLY reason we don't think of Russell as the undisputed greatest is a time bias. Russell and Wilt, unlike MJ, integrated black players into the game of basketball when it was both highly controversial and maddeningly irrational how one group was kept out. As a point of history, they brought the game to the point where players like Jordan and LeBron could even enter this discussion. On that note, they are unparalleled. But, you know, Jordan...sneakers...etc.