10 NBA Players Michael Jordan Could Take in 1-on-1 Right Now

Professional athletes don't always age gracefully.

In fact, it's nearly impossible for them to do so from a fan's perspective.

When the greats walk away at the peak of their careers, we're left wondering (and debating) what could have been. When they overstay their welcome, we simply wish that someone would have the heart to show them the door.

Michael Jordan, as was the case throughout his career, has been an exception to the rule.

He seemed destined for the former after twice walking away from the Chicago Bulls on the back end of three-peats. He then seemed destined for the latter after donning a Washington Wizards jersey at the age of 38, a full three seasons removed from NBA action. He subsequently rattled off back-to-back 20-plus points per game seasons before heroically riding off into the sunset.

Even now, at age 50, he's still proving just how well he wears his years. The Charlotte Bobcats owner isn't one to avoid his team's practices. And he's not averse to taking the floor with his team, either.

Apparently, there's no reason for him to stay away. Bobcats rookie Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (the second overall pick in the 2012 NBA draft) said that the then-49-year-old beat him in a one-on-one game (according to Aldi Joseph of USA Today).

As if there weren't already enough fascinating Jordan stories to go around, this latest one got us thinking: whom else could the 50-years-young Jordan handle in today's NBA?

Kemba Walker, Charlotte Bobcats

Surely, this is a matchup that's already played out on the Bobcats' practice floor.

Walker's been in Charlotte for two seasons, serving as the face of the franchise for much of that tenure.

Knowing Jordan's competitive streak probably made Walker the top choice with whom Jordan would hit the hardwood. (Well, that or playing Walker's teammates is Jordan's way of building up to an eventual showdown.)

And with that hyper-competitiveness in mind, it certainly stands within reason to assume that Jordan would compile a lengthy scouting report on the second-year guard before the game.

Walker doesn't have the perimeter shot (career 32.1 percent) to consistently beat Jordan from the outside. And Jordan would know that. It'd be up to the 6'1" scoring guard to find his way to the basket, then finish over the 6'6" Jordan. 

Walker's had an impressive sophomore campaign (17.2 points per game), but could stand a few years of seasoning (and a few years added to Jordan's body) before taking on "The Greatest."

Jeremy Lin, Houston Rockets

Jeremy Lin is as good of a feel-good story as I can remember in the NBA—maybe even in all professional sports.

But when it comes to basketball, I don't see that mushiness affecting Jordan's approach.

"MJ" would start out by giving Lin the perimeter shot. It's not that Lin can't sink the long ball, but just that he's not a threat to embark on a game-changing three-point shooting spree (career 31.5 three-point percentage).

Assuming Lin hits enough threes to draw Jordan closer to the perimeter, I can say with confidence Jordan's not going to give him anything going right. Lin's a different player going to his left (via NBA.com) and really struggles to finish his drives unless he gets all the way to the basket.

And this hasn't even addressed how Lin would be able to body up with the much larger Jordan. Lin's giving up three inches in this matchup, and suffice it to say, Jordan's added a little bulk to his playing weight of 216 pounds.

Vince Carter, Dallas Mavericks

At different points in time, Jordan and Carter were two of the most brilliant finishers the league had ever seen.

But neither player has the gift of flight left in their arsenal. And a grounded offensive approach was much more kind to Jordan.

Even with his three-year sabbatical, Jordan averaged at least 20 points in each of the six seasons he played over the age of 30 (including 30.4 points per game at the age of 32 in the 1995-96 season). Carter has had just three such seasons in his 30s, averaging fewer than 15 points in each of the last three years.

Carter would rely heavily on his outside shot, and his 40.4 three-point percentage would appear to give him a puncher's chance. But without that same threat of explosiveness, Jordan wouldn't afford him too many clean looks from the outside.

Monta Ellis, Milwaukee Bucks

Monta Ellis is a relentless scorer, often sacrificing his 6'3", 185-pound frame in his drives to the rim. He's also one of the best bad-shot makers in today's game.

But, while's he often dazzling, he can also be reckless. He's not a great decision-maker, nor particularly wise in his shot selection (as evidenced by his career-worst 40.1 field-goal percentage this season).

Defensively, Ellis makes his biggest imprint through his high-risk, high-reward gambles. Against a heady player like Jordan, Ellis' defense would probably fall under the all-risk, no-reward category.

Jordan could use his size advantage to push Ellis near the basket, and his footwork won't be lost in the same way his athleticism is. I'm not convinced Ellis has enough spring in his legs to really bother Jordan's trademark turnaround jumpers.

Steve Nash, Los Angeles Lakers

This would be a nightmare matchup for Nash, not too much of a variation from what he's been seeing of late.

The 39-year-old point guard is closer to Jordan's age than that of his NBA peers, so the assumed athletic disadvantage for Jordan in these matchups is removed from the equation.

But you could even dial back the clock 10 years for Nash, keep Jordan the same age and this is still a nightmarish experience for Nash. He's not built for one-on-one basketball. With no one there to set his screens, Nash would have to discover the forward-charging handles that have never been a strong suit in his offensive attack.

And, come on, does anyone think Nash is slowing Jordan one bit on the defensive end?

I didn't think so.

David Lee, Golden State Warriors

An All-Star frontcourt player, Lee would figure to present a unique set of problems for Jordan.

He's got a three-inch height advantage working in his favor, and seven-plus years of defending the back-to-the-basket offensive looks favored by the aging Jordan.

But, like Nash, Lee isn't a strong one-on-one player. He's a great passer for his size and moves well off the ball, but neither of those qualities serve him any good in this scenario.

Instead, Lee's lack of upper-level post moves could turn this into a blowout. Jordan's too strong of a competitor to not box out Lee and keep him off the offensive glass.

Offensively, Jordan has all of the ball fakes and fancy footwork to further expose Lee defensively. After all, Lee's defensive experience in the NBA hasn't always been the easiest for New York Knick and Warrior fans to stomach.

Jamal Crawford, Los Angeles Clippers

Here's where things start to get interesting.

Crawford has an ungodly amount of tricks in his offensive book. He's a solid three-point threat (34.9 percent for his career), capable of catching the kind of fire that can abruptly finish a one-on-one battle.

He also possesses perhaps the fanciest handles in the game, with enough stutter steps, crossovers and behind-the-back dribbles to leave even premier defenders second-guessing their ability. When those handles earn him a sliver of light to attack (and they seemingly always do), he's quick to the basket with a series of runners and floaters at his disposal.

But while he's so effective at providing instant offense, Crawford's been largely restricted from filling any other role due to his ghastly defensive efforts. Crawford's so flawed defensively, that I'm not even sure Jordan has to back him down to the basket. Jordan knows how to use his dribble to get to his most potent areas on the court and afford himself all of the space he needs for that feathery soft mid-range touch.

Joe Johnson, Brooklyn Nets

Johnson has the size (6'7", 240 pounds) and strength to body up Jordan. He's not a premier defender by any stretch, but he's typically more of a defensive liability when facing up against smaller, quicker guards.

He's also a proficient perimeter shooter (career 36.9 percent), although he's been far more reliable this season on the corner threes (43.3 percent) than near the top of the key (35.8 percent). Unless this is one of the stranger one-on-one games in the history of the sport, that corner three-point shot is no more than a rarely used weapon here.

Johnson's developed one of the better back-to-basket games of today's shooting guards, but he either patterned his game after Jordan's or perhaps Kobe Bryant's (who patterned his own after Jordan's). In other words, he'll have a tough time finding anything in this situation that Jordan hasn't already seen (and more than likely done).

Johnson's also turning 32 this year, and his explosiveness is feeling the effects of Father Time.

This won't be an aerial matchup, and outside of some streaky shooting from Johnson, you'd have to figure that plays in Jordan's favor.

Kyrie Irving, Cleveland Cavaliers

Irving nearly owned All-Star weekend. Nearly.

Playing in his second Rising Stars Challenge, Irving torched Team Chuck with 32 points, six rebounds and six assists in under 27 minutes (albeit in a losing effort). He followed that up by capturing the Foot Locker Three-Point Contest championship a night later, besting the San Antonio Spurs' Matt Bonner with 23 out of a possible 30 points in the final round.

By Sunday's All-Star Game, though, Irving's age started to show through. While he managed a respectable 15 points and four assists in 25 minutes, he was on the wrong end of several late-game exchanges with the eventual MVP Chris Paul.

I'm not saying that a 50-year-old Jordan is Paul by any means, but rather that experience carries some value in individual battles. Jordan's smart enough to deny Irving free range from the three-point line, but wouldn't close out to the point of giving Irving uncontested paths to the basket.

And all he'd need is one errant attempt from Irving to get back on offense, where his size and veteran savvy could give Irving fits. I might not be giving Jordan the edge in this matchup a year from now (or maybe even six months from now), but I'll still give him the nod if the game takes place tomorrow.

Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder

With Derrick Rose still sidelined indefinitely recovering from his torn ACL, Westbrook is unquestionably the most exciting player the point guard position has to offer.

He's an explosive athlete, with the speed to blow by defenders en route to demoralizing finishes. He's a deadly mid-range shooter, who knows both where he's most effective on the floor and how to get to those spots.

Defensively, he's a nightmare for opposing guards. He's too fast to run around and too strong to run over.

Any of this sound familiar?

Granted, Westbrook has a decisive edge in athleticism in this potential meeting. But his decision-making (career 3.6 turnovers per game) still presents problems when facing a resourceful defender like Jordan.

Jordan knows he doesn't have the legs to run with Westbrook, so he'd force Westbrook to beat him from the perimeter. And while Westbrook's connecting on the second-best percentage of his long-range attempts this season, he's still only shooting 32.8 percent from beyond the arc.

Westbrook's strong enough to not let Jordan bully him around the court, but Jordan's decisive size advantage would present serious problems.