Is Kawhi the closet we have to Jordan in today's game?

[Bartman]

Lebron is more of a hybrid of Magic and Jordan so it is hard to imagine how Jordan's game would transfer to today's by watching Lebron. Kawhi seems to have a similar skill set but is he close enough to Jordan that we are assured Jordan would have been the best playing today by extrapolating from Kawhi's game.

[zombiesonics]

Kawhi is a better shooter than MJ, both from 3 and FT.

Pretty disrespectful to compare Kawhi to that overrated ‘90s bum.

[Uncontroversial]

Kawhi can shoot, can get to the basket, can defend anybody, and is money in the playoffs. He’s never shit the bed as Lebron has done countless times both in the finals and losing to lower seeds in the playoffs in the weak east

[Bartman]

Kawhi is a better shooter than MJ, both from 3 and FT.

Pretty disrespectful to compare Kawhi to that overrated ‘90s bum.

Jordan was more athletic, quicker and a better passer. Jordan was much harder to guard one on one.

[Bartman]

Kawhi can shoot, can get to the basket, can defend anybody, and is money in the playoffs. He’s never shit the bed as Lebron has done countless times both in the finals and losing to lower seeds in the playoffs in the weak east

The question wasn't about Lebron. How does Kawhi compare to Jordan?

[PhutureDynasty]

I saw Jordan most in Kobe's game.

Kawhi is definitely the next closest after Mamba.

[vcsgrizzfan]

I thought prime Wade was a somewhat watered down version of Jordan. Not quite as tall or as much wingspan, but extremely athletic in taking it to the bucket and with great ability to finish in traffic. Both had a good midrange game but weren't great from distance. Wade played his best when the rules were interpreted more favorably for slashers than they are now (especially 2006 which was really goofy) and I think would not fare quite as well with today's defenses which have adjusted and with a less liberal interpretation of the rules in favor of slashers.

[Bush4Ever.]

I don't think anyone is close to Jordan in terms of impact and style sufficient enough to make me comfortable with a comparison like that, even under the "poor man" qualifier.

[AlaskaHawks]

Is Harold Minor still around?

[thedangerouskitchen]

In "today's" game there really isn't anyone like Jordan. Kawhi, for instance, doesn't have that explosive Offensive ability (to literally put the entire team on his back and carry the Scoring load for long stretches of quarters/games/series') while a guy like James Harden (who has that ability) lacks MJ's / Kawhi's Defensive brilliance. LeBron, as has been noted, is more of a hybrid but he too (like Harden) lacks the Defensive impact.

Absolute prime Kobe was the closest we have seen... and he was only MJ Lite because he lacked Mike's efficiency and consistency.