--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I hate to say it's not a Laker but…" description: "\"I hate to say it's not a Laker but Michael Jordan. He's been the greatest player I've ever seen. And I'm probably a harsh judge of talent in the sense ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f13/jerry-west-7315_good_i-hate-to-say-it-s-not-a-laker-but-micha_2097692.jpg" --- # I hate to say it's not a Laker but Michael Jordan. He's… ![“I hate to say it's not a Laker but Michael Jordan. He's been the greatest player I've ever seen. And I'm probably a harsh judge of talent in the sense that I admire players that are really good defensive players and really good offensive players.” quote by Jerry West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f13/jerry-west-7315_good_i-hate-to-say-it-s-not-a-laker-but-micha_2097692.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f13/jerry-west-7315_good_i-hate-to-say-it-s-not-a-laker-but-micha_2097692.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f13/jerry-west-7315_good_i-hate-to-say-it-s-not-a-laker-but-micha_2097692.jpg) > “I hate to say it's not a Laker but Michael Jordan. He's been the greatest player I've ever seen. And I'm probably a harsh judge of talent in the sense that I admire players that are really good defensive players and really good offensive players.” [Jerry West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-west/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker admires Michael Jordan as the greatest player despite preferring defensive talent, highlighting personal bias in evaluating skill. **In simple terms:** I think Jordan is the best, even though I like defense. Key Takeaway Recognize personal bias when judging talent. Themes talent evaluation bias sports greatness Mood reflective analytical Type opinion personal When to use this quote - team selection - player scouting - fan discussions - media analysis Key Concepts subjectivity defensive vs offensive value Questions to Reflect On - How does your favorite play style affect your judgments? - Can you separate admiration from objective analysis? A Different Perspective Personal preferences may cloud objective assessment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate/) [Talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talent/) ## Related quotes > [Overall, I think Michael Jordan is the greatest athlete in any particular sport. He dominated the game for the Chicago Bulls and brought the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-mcdonough/overall-i-think-michael-jordan-is-the-greatest-athlete-in-any/) [Will McDonough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-mcdonough/) > [Michael Jordan was the greatest practice player I've ever seen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-armstrong/michael-jordan-was-the-greatest-practice-player-i-ve-ever-seen/) [B. J. Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-armstrong/) > [I'm my own person and my own player. Not that I don't admire other players and try and do similar things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-korver/i-m-my-own-person-and-my-own-player-not-that-i-don-t-admire-other/) [Kyle Korver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-korver/) > [I went to a lot of college camps when I was younger... You just admire those players because they're at a higher level than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-lavine/i-went-to-a-lot-of-college-camps-when-i-was-younger-you-just-admire/) [Zach LaVine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-lavine/) > [Michael Jordan is probably the greatest scorer to ever play in the game. But I may go as far to say Lebron James may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scottie-pippen/michael-jordan-is-probably-the-greatest-scorer-to-ever-play-in-the/) [Scottie Pippen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scottie-pippen/) > [I'm a Michael Jordan fan just like everyone else. I just don't think he's the greatest player ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-salley/i-m-a-michael-jordan-fan-just-like-everyone-else-i-just-don-t-think/) [John Salley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-salley/) > [I loved Jordan. He was one of the greatest athletes of our time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariah-carey/i-loved-jordan-he-was-one-of-the-greatest-athletes-of-our-time/) [Mariah Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariah-carey/) > [The greatest player in the world. He's got a fantastic vision of the game, and what he can do technically - it's crazy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicklas-bendtner/the-greatest-player-in-the-world-he-s-got-a-fantastic-vision-of-the/) [Nicklas Bendtner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicklas-bendtner/) > [George Best was the greatest player in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pel/george-best-was-the-greatest-player-in-the-world/) [Pele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pel/) > [DiMaggio was the greatest all-around player I ever saw. His career cannot be summed up in numbers and awards. It might sound corny, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-williams/dimaggio-was-the-greatest-all-around-player-i-ever-saw-his-career/) [Ted Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-williams/) > [For me, Paul Scholes is on the same level as Ronaldo. The real Ronaldo, not Cristiano. I always thought he was a great player…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fabien-barthez/for-me-paul-scholes-is-on-the-same-level-as-ronaldo-the-real-ronaldo/) Fabien Barthez > [Polls are now even more meaningless than ever... there was the case of Ronnie O'Brien, the young footballer who incredibly found himself at Juventus,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-o-doherty/polls-are-now-even-more-meaningless-than-ever-there-was-the-case-of/) [Ian O'Doherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-o-doherty/) > [I would never deny that Jack Nicklaus is the greatest player who ever lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicklaus/i-would-never-deny-that-jack-nicklaus-is-the-greatest-player-who-ever/) [Jack Nicklaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicklaus/) > [Because he knows he has the talent to change games, you get the impression Neymar wants to be the one to do that something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-desailly/because-he-knows-he-has-the-talent-to-change-games-you-get-the/) [Marcel Desailly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-desailly/) > [And I have been very blessed, having coached some of the greatest that have ever played the game. But if I had to start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-auerbach/and-i-have-been-very-blessed-having-coached-some-of-the-greatest-that/) [Red Auerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-auerbach/) ## More by Jerry West > [As you get older, every chance to win a championship is more crucial, because you are going to have less and less of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-west/as-you-get-older-every-chance-to-win-a-championship-is-more-crucial/) [Jerry West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-west/) > [Many people, men in particular, just can't not be active. I guess our minds demand that we seek other challenges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-west/many-people-men-in-particular-just-can-t-not-be-active-i-guess-our/) [Jerry West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-west/) > [I've always been really nationalistic, and I had a brother killed in Korea. And I think the 'Star Spangled Banner,' even today - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-west/i-ve-always-been-really-nationalistic-and-i-had-a-brother-killed-in/) [Jerry West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-west/) > [I don't live in the past. And besides, there are too many times in my career to remember specific events, because I played so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-west/i-don-t-live-in-the-past-and-besides-there-are-too-many-times-in-my/) [Jerry West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-west/) > [You can't ever totally know what's inside of someone else, or see the kind of will someone like Magic has. You have to rely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-west/you-can-t-ever-totally-know-what-s-inside-of-someone-else-or-see-the/) [Jerry West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-west/) > [“Suddenly Sue shrieked as only four-year-old girls can.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-west/suddenly-sue-shrieked-as-only-four-year-old-girls-can/) [Jerry West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-west/) > [The support this city and our fans have shown the Grizzlies made my decision to stay in Memphis an easy one. Memphis deserves a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-west/the-support-this-city-and-our-fans-have-shown-the-grizzlies-made-my/) [Jerry West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-west/) > [I always wanted the ball in my hands with a game on the line, as I think any real competitor does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-west/i-always-wanted-the-ball-in-my-hands-with-a-game-on-the-line-as-i/) [Jerry West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-west/) > [Some guys lay their fannies out there every night - they play the game at such a high level, and they give so much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-west/some-guys-lay-their-fannies-out-there-every-night-they-play-the-game/) [Jerry West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-west/) > [You need to possess more than a little nastiness to play basketball at the highest level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-west/you-need-to-possess-more-than-a-little-nastiness-to-play-basketball/) [Jerry West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-west/) > [Personalities seem in many cases to dominate the lucrative endorsement market. But that doesn't upset me. What upsets me is when not enough attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-west/personalities-seem-in-many-cases-to-dominate-the-lucrative/) [Jerry West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-west/) > [You get so addicted to winning that you don't want that feeling to stop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-west/you-get-so-addicted-to-winning-that-you-don-t-want-that-feeling-to/) [Jerry West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-west/) > [We talk about players of yesteryear, guys who could play or couldn't play, and I think it's ridiculous to try to even compare people...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-west/we-talk-about-players-of-yesteryear-guys-who-could-play-or-couldn-t/) [Jerry West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-west/) > [As a player all you can do is play within yourself, even in the context of a team sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-west/as-a-player-all-you-can-do-is-play-within-yourself-even-in-the/) [Jerry West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-west/) > [There's been so many unbelievable players in Los Angeles, maybe the best of the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-west/there-s-been-so-many-unbelievable-players-in-los-angeles-maybe-the/) [Jerry West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-west/) [Explore all 92 Jerry West quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-west/) ## More Football quotes > [When I came to Chelsea, it was clear that, like many other players, I would first be loaned out. 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I can be a diamond; I can be a spade. Whatever you need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-healy/wild-card-got-it-duncan-said-just-like-in-crazy-eights-i-can-be-a/) [Christopher Healy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-healy/) > [Leo, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Eden. Every year, you look at their numbers - score goals, assists, minutes - to see they play very well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pedro/leo-cristiano-ronaldo-neymar-eden-every-year-you-look-at-their/) [Pedro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pedro/) > [It's a lot harder to play football when you haven't got the ball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-gray/it-s-a-lot-harder-to-play-football-when-you-haven-t-got-the-ball/) [Andy Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-gray/) > [I just enjoy winning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xander-bogaerts/i-just-enjoy-winning/) [Xander Bogaerts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xander-bogaerts/) > [I think you can get, as a player, stuck in the mindset of trying too hard to prove yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trinity-rodman/i-think-you-can-get-as-a-player-stuck-in-the-mindset-of-trying-too/) [Trinity Rodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trinity-rodman/) > [We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/we-cannot-change-the-cards-we-are-dealt-just-how-we-play-the-hand/) [Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/) [Browse all 59,646 Football quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I hate to say it's not a Laker but Michael Jordan. 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