NBA 2K24: Best Jordan Era Players That Aren’t Michael Jordan

Highlights

• Choose your favorite NBA era to play in NBA 2K24, from the Magic and Bird Era to the LeBron Era for a unique experience.
• Enjoy playing as legendary players like Larry Bird and Hakeem Olajuwon, each with their own strengths and abilities in the game.
• Test your skills with stars like John Stockton and Patrick Ewing, reliving the glory of 90s basketball in this immersive gaming experience.

One of the new features of NBA 2K24 is the ability to select an era to play in. Players can start a franchise or play an exhibition game in the Magic and Bird Era, the Jordan Era, the Kobe Era, or the LeBron Era. The Jordan Era brings with it a (mostly) accurate roster featuring all the teams that competed against, and likely fell to, the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls.

It’s a fun mode to play, coming with a ’90s filter that makes the game look like a retro broadcast, but what if players want to try a team that isn’t the Bulls, or maybe even want to attempt to topple their dynasty? There are plenty of superstar-caliber players that likely would have won championships had over half the decade’s wins not gone to arguably the best player of all time, and most of these stars are playable in the game.

1 Chris Mullin

Golden State Warriors

• Shooting guard
• 89 overall

The star of the Golden State Warriors for almost the entire 90s, Mullin was a shooting guard and small forward who could create his own shots and score off the pass or dribble. He is a two-time Olympic gold medalist and even played alongside Jordan on the Dream Team.

In the game, he’s fast and unbelievably accurate. He can shoot from any spot if open, his quick-release mid-range jump shot consistently goes in, and, unlike a lot of players in this era, he can also knock down slightly contested threes with a pretty decent level of consistency.

2 Dominique Wilkins

Atlanta Hawks

The flashy forward from Atlanta earned himself the nickname The Human Highlight Reel with his lightning-quick cuts and impressive leaping and dunking ability. He also had an above-average catch-and-shoot game, making him dangerous to leave open around the three line.

All of these traits are recreated and boosted to their peak in-game, making Wilkins an effective scorer from almost anywhere. Plus, when players drive toward the basket, he often goes up for the poster-worthy dunk instead of the layup, which is a sight to behold. Players can easily create even more highlights for the reel.

3 Larry Bird

Boston Celtics

Unshockingly, the player who has a different era in the game named after him is a force to be reckoned with. Even though he was older and steadily approaching the end of his career, Bird still put up impressive numbers in the first half of the 90s.

In the game, this version of Bird is even closer to his peak and can hit threes from an unbelievable range with high accuracy. The developers clearly couldn’t help but let the leader of the Celtics stay in his prime a few years longer, and players who love taking threes should thank them for it.

4 Hakeem Olajuwon

Houston Rockets

Often considered one of the best big men in NBA history, this seven-footer was the face of the Rockets for years, despite playing alongside several famous teammates. Nicknamed The Dream, he would win Houston two championships in the 90s, being named finals MVP both times.

In the game, his post-scoring is probably the best on this list. He plays similarly to the earlier era’s highest-rated player Kareem Abdul-Jabar, able to muscle his opponent under the basket and then toss up shots from either side. His defense is also top-tier, with his wingspan making him a consistent shot blocker.

5 John Stockton

Utah Jazz

John Stockton was part of the biggest dynamic duo in 90s basketball. If the Bulls belonged to Jordan at the end of the day, the Jazz belonged to Stockton AND Malone. That said, the athletic guard can still manage alone.

The record holder for most assists and most steals in a single season, Stockton was one of the best point guards, not just of his era, but of all time. He’s a blast to play in 2K24 as he feels lightning-quick with some of the safest ball-handling in the game. Throwing flashy passes is easy and scoring doesn’t fall by the wayside as Stockton has an A in three-point shooting.

6 Karl Malone

Utah Jazz

The other half of the Utah duo who now make up the only two players on the list from the same team. Malone was the one catching all those assists from Stockton. He’s a big athletic center who can launch toward the basket and rarely misses close shots.

He feels even more unguardable in the game, with some decent ball handling and a decent mid-range jumper. His athleticism also means he goes for the dunk as often, if not more often, than the layup. There’s a reason he was called the mailman back in his day.

7 Patrick Ewing

New York Knicks

The biggest star in New York and one of the players the monsters steal power from in Space Jam, Ewing was a top NBA prospect, going number one in the draft and instantly rebuilding the Knicks almost by himself.

He was big enough to play center but quick enough to play as a forward as well, and this translates to the game, where players can use his unique mix of size and athleticism to score from all over the interior with excellent consistency. Ewing plays similarly to some future star bigs like Amare Stoudmire and Orlando Magic Dwight Howard, but in this era, there’s truly no one quite like him.

8 David Robinson

San Antonio Spurs

Long before Tim Duncan was the star big man for the Spurs, there was David Robinson. During his time, he was called the workhorse of the team, playing all 82 games of the season multiple times. He could score in the post but also had enough agility to back up and make moves towards the basket.

Players can post up a few times for some easy points, then begin backing up and working around screens, and after a few trips, the defense for the other team won’t know how to guard Robinson. It results in a comical amount of double-teaming or messy positioning leading to easy drives.

9 Clyde Drexler

Portland Trailblazers

• Shooting guard
• 94 overall

The speedy point guard who would lead the Trailblazers and also win a ring alongside Olajuwon’s Rockets. While his overall matches Robinson and he isn’t quite as effective on defense, Drexler is just more fun to play in 2K24.

Drexler is incredibly fast and nearly impossible to pick up off of a pick-and-roll. He can also hit a spin move or fadeaway jumper with so much consistency that it is enraging to play against. He can hit from behind the arc if he has enough space and sometimes off a step-back, but in an era where the mid-range shot was killer, he is one of the best.