For younger NBA fans, history isn’t something they witnessed; it’s something they’re told. The dominance of legends like Michael Jordan exists for them in grainy YouTube clips. Those old heads’ stories and a handful of iconic moments replayed on sports channels.

Up-and-coming talents looked up to legends they grew up watching. This has caused some disconnect between today’s fans and those of the old era.

Jordan’s relevance

Jason Kidd, an NBA champion and Hall of Fame point guard, didn’t mince words when looking at the broad sense of popularity between legends of the past and current superstars.

“If it wasn’t for the shoes, they would not know who MJ is,” Kidd said, referring to the Jordan Brand.

For modern fans, when the talk of the greatest of all time names pops up, names like LeBron James, Stephen Curry or Kevin Durant are at the top because that’s who they’ve seen dominate the game.

Jordan’s six championships, five MVPs and ten scoring titles are just numbers to them — stats they read but never lived through. Unlike James, whose entire career has been broadcast in high definition with social media documenting every step, Jordan’s prime came in an era where television and print media dictated what was seen and remembered.

Even legendary feats from past generations sound almost mythical today. Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point game? No full footage exists. Bill Russell’s 11 championships? Just old black-and-white clips. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s skyhook? It’s a move that’s become more historical trivia than a reference point for modern big men.

The top brand

When Nike signed Jordan in 1984, they built a cultural icon. The Air Jordan line transcended basketball, blending sports and street fashion in a way that had never been done before. By the time Jordan retired for the second time in 1998, his shoes were the only shots every athlete could talk about.

Generations that never watched him play still rock his sneakers. Kids who weren’t even born during his second three-peat know what each brand looks like. That’s the power of branding and Kidd’s point touches on this reality: without the shoes, the Bulls icon’s reach might have been drastically different.

His greatness wasn’t manufactured by Nike; it was amplified by it. His six NBA Finals MVPs, defensive prowess and clutch performances made him an all-time great. His battles with the Detroit Pistons, the flu game, the iconic shot over Bryon Russell — those moments won’t be lost in history.

But it helps to wonder if Jordan’s legacy would have been even more remarkable if he had played in today’s social media-driven NBA. He played in a different era. His greatness was witnessed in real time but not recorded and debated as it is today. That’s why, for many young fans, their exposure to him is limited to curated clips and secondhand stories.