Witnessing Michael Jordan donning a Washington Wizards jersey was a surreal experience for fans worldwide. However, despite the change in uniform, MJ still possessed the same magical abilities that earned him the moniker “Air Jordan.”

This led former Los Angeles Lakers star Lamar Odom to question whether a defensive stop by MJ should be considered one of the greatest blocks in NBA history.

After being blocked by Ron Artest on offense, Michael Jordan swiftly transitioned to defense to showcase his defensive presence. With lightning speed, Jordan chased down Mercer and emphatically denied his shot with both hands. Not only did MJ block the shot, but he also secured possession by grabbing onto the ball, while also intimidating Mercer with a determined glare.

Given the numerous remarkable block plays throughout NBA history, Lamar Odom questioned whether MJ’s block on Mercer could be considered the greatest ever. Blocks by Hall of Famers and current players, like LeBron James’ chase-down block on Andre Iguodala, Nate Robinson’s block on Yao Ming, or Shaquille O’Neal, must also be considered.

What drove Michael Jordan to leap out of his sneakers for that block? According to Jordan himself, it was a moment of anger that fueled his energy to make the play. He revealed, “It was one of those situations where anger kind of gave me a little more energy to go up and get the block.” With Bulls GM Jerry Krause in attendance, MJ was determined to showcase his dominance.