The arguable GOAT of soccer vs the arguable GOAT of basketball. Who would’ve won a popularity contest? One of the easiest ways nowadays is social media following. Only if Michael Jordan had the social media era during his days as an active player. But what if that would have been the case? One of Jordan’s former teammates believes His Airness would have surpassed Ronaldo with unimaginable numbers.

The discussion regarding the hypothetical situation began during Chicago Bulls legend Scottie Pippen‘s recent appearance on the PBD Podcast. Patrick Bet-David asked Pip what Jordan’s social media following would have been like considering Cristiano Ronaldo presently has 647 million followers on Instagram.

“I think he would have probably doubled that, I’m gonna be honest…” Pippen said, recalling how the NBA had signed an international deal with China, around the time he was drafted into the league. “So the game was growing then. And, you know, at that point, me, Michael was four or five years already into the game.”

Pippen’s opinion on the PBD Podcast would have been considered biased had he not been critical of Mike in his interviews last year. It only goes to prove MJ’s global popularity was undeniable. If this does not work for you, consider this: as per ESPN, research by Warner Brothers to determine His Airness’ popularity in 1996 revealed him among the three most famous people on the planet at the time. Michael Jordan, Princess Diana, and the Pope.

And it’s not as if his impact lasted only till his playing days. As Bulls coach Phil Jackson had once said, “I know I will be forgotten as soon as this is over. All of us will. Except for Michael. Michael will be remembered forever.” And boy, was he right.

Even in 2023, a US survey posted by Morning Consult on Instagram showed Michael Jordan as the greatest athlete of all time, surpassing the likes of Lionel Messi, Muhammad Ali, and Tom Brady.

Michael Jordan’s opinion of himself if the social media culture existed during his time

Imagine if MJ’s career had played out in today’s world of constant tweets, trending hashtags, and viral moments. It’s a question that popped into many minds after the release of The Last Dance. Would the arguable GOAT’s legacy have been the same under the watchful eye of X (formerly Twitter)?

Mike himself doesn’t think so. In an interview with Cigar Aficionado, he opened up about the challenges he might have faced in the digital age. “For someone like myself and this is what Tiger [Woods] deals with, is that I don’t know if I could’ve survived in this Twitter time, where you don’t have the privacy that you would want, and what seems to be very innocent can always be misinterpreted,” he said.

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Think about it—LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo, two modern NBA superstars, go off the grid during the playoffs to escape the noise. If today’s athletes find social media overwhelming, how would Jordan, with his larger-than-life persona, have handled the constant scrutiny?

Consider some of his most talked-about moments. Could Dennis Rodman’s infamous Vegas trips even happen in today’s era? And what about Jordan leaving basketball to play baseball—can you imagine the social media meltdown that would’ve caused?

And then there’s his fiery leadership style. Would fans have applauded his intensity or condemned him for punching Steve Kerr at practice? Jordan himself acknowledged the generational gap, saying, “I have a different perception about things than the kids do today.”

While MJ would’ve been a viral sensation, maybe it’s for the best that his career stayed in the 1990s—a time when his greatness could shine without the social media spotlight.