Mr. Air dropped huge praise to Moses Malone and his dominance on the board.
While debates about the best shooter or two-way player to team up with Michael Jordan might be contentious, there's little argument about who was the greatest rebounder to play alongside His Airness.
Dennis Rodman's dominance on the board and leading the league in that category in each of the three seasons when the Chicago Bulls won their second three-peat, justifies the value he added to the team. However, when asked about the best rebounder he'd ever seen, the five-time MVP unhesitantly picked another legend — Moses Malone.
How good was Big Mo?
The Worm's rebounding prowess was undeniable, as evidenced by his seven-time league lead. Yet, as fearless as he was to fight under the rim despite being 6'7", he failed to convert those rebounds into points. Rodman's role was primarily to grab rebounds and create second-chance point opportunities for his teammates, as evidenced by his career-scoring average of 7.3 points per game.
On the other hand, 'Big Mo' might not have led the league as many times as the two-time All-Star. However, he is still considered arguably the greatest offensive rebounder of all time. Unlike Rodman, Moses could consistently turn rebounds into points by tipping the ball or dunking it using his towering 6'10" frame. His career scoring average of 20.3 points and ranking fifth all-time in rebounding showcased his status as a premier dual threat.
More notably, while rebounding was The Worm's prime skill, he still ranks only 23rd on the all-time rebounding list. So, it does seem safe to conclude that even though Rodman played a valuable role on two championship-winning teams, his rebounding prowess looked more impressive, considering how he made such a name in the league despite having averaged points in double digits merely once in his career.
In contrast, Malone averaged more points and 12.3 rebounds per game in his career, demonstrating how he grabbed boards and took care of the scoring load almost single-handedly. It's safe to say that this highlighted the difference between Malone and Rodman.
While the Virginia native had to be necessarily a double team under the rim, defenders knew that The Worm could be left alone to attempt a jump shot as though he did log a 52% efficiency from the field. Still, he didn't have the mindset to score individually.
MJ chose Malone over Rodman
In his interview with Marvin R. Shanken, Jordan had his answer ready instantly when asked about the best rebounder he'd ever seen. Unfortunately, for the Chicago Bulls fans who would have wanted to see him name his former teammate out of loyalty, the 6'6" shooting guard chose Malone over Rodman.
"Moses (Malone)," Jordan said. "No doubt it was Moses."
Conversely, Mo's presence in the paint had a more direct and individual influence. He changed the Philadelphia 76ers and maximized their championship chances during the 1982-83 campaign, his first with the team. Despite his scoring average falling to 24.5 points per game, he timely recognized the need for him to be more dominant in rebounding and improved his tally to 15.3.
Even in the championship round, he outperformed stars like Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Magic Johnson to emerge as the most dominant player, averaging a series-high 25.8 points and 18 rebounds to help the Sixers avenge the Purple and Gold and win a ring.
