“He had the most beautiful stroke” - Michael Jordan once named a 2-time All-Star as the best shooter he had ever seen

   

Based on the numerous anecdotes told over the years, one might assume that in order to earn Michael Jordan's respect and praise, a player would need to be an accomplished star. However, this was not the case when the five-time MVP selected the best ‘pure shooter’ he had ever seen. Despite sharing the court with renowned shooters like Craig Hodges and Steve Kerr, and playing in the era where players like Larry Bird and Reggie Miller blossomed as shooters, Mike named former Milwaukee Bucks guard - Brian Winters, who lasted merely nine years in the league, as the best he saw playing.

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MJ explained why he named Winters as the best pure shooter

During an interview with Marvin R. Shanken, the six-time NBA Champion was asked whether Oscar Roberston was the best shooter he had ever witnessed. In response, the 14-time All-Star clarified that Robertson, like Magic Johnson, belonged to a different category - players who excelled as all-around contributors, capable of scoring, rebounding, and playmaking.

However, when it came down to naming the best pure shooter, the 6’6” shooting guard singled out Winters, eventually mentioning him in the same breath as some of the other all-time legends.

"Pure shooter, I would say Brian Winters, who played for the Milwaukee Bucks. He had the most beautiful stroke of all the people whom I can think of," Jordan said. "You could go, too, with John Paxson, who was next to me in the backcourt in Chicago. Clutch. He doesn't have the best form. But Reggie Miller, or maybe Jerry West; it's hard picking one."

MJ preferred talent over accomplishment

Over the course of his NBA career, the two-time All-Star joined the Bucks after playing his rookie season with the LA Lakers. He maintained a field goal percentage of 47.5% and consistently averaged double-digit points in each of his seasons, with his best scoring average (19.9 points) coming in the 1977-78 season.

However, in his collegiate years at South Carolina, Winters exceeded 51% shooting in both his sophomore and senior seasons. Notably, in his senior year, he averaged 20.0 points per game, outperforming teammates like Mike Dunleavy and Alex English.

Safe to say, this admission highlighted Mike’s deep appreciation for the craft regardless of a player’s success on the big stage, especially considering how the 6’4” guard was only able to lead the Bucks to the conference finals merely once in his career.