In an effort to prove that Michael Jordan is the best basketball player of all time, many NBA advanced scouts have him as the number one pick in the upcoming draft. Jordan has not played in the NBA for many years.

General managers everywhere are fuming with the media having debates as to whether Kobe Bryant could be as good as MJ. In response, several owners and GM's have vowed that if they can trade for the number one pick in the draft, they will take Jordan.

Although the Bryant as good as Jordan talked has stopped since Bryant's Lakers lost the NBA finals, still there are GM's who played with Jordan who are holding a grudge.

"Michael Jordan is the best player I have ever played against. It is inconceivable to me that Kobe could be in the same class as someone I played with. Admitting that would be admitting that I'm getting old, and I'm not ready to do that," said Celtics GM Danny Ainge.

Doc Rivers, the Boston coach echoed the same sentiments. "In my opinion MJ has to go first in this year's draft. If he doesn't, then there is always a chance one of these young players chosen becomes as good as Michael, and none of us that saw him play ever will want to admit something like that could happen," said Rivers.

The Chicago Bulls hold the first pick in the draft, so it seems like a perfect fit. Chicago was the place Jordan shined and he is immortalized there. For them to pick him with the number one pick would be groundbreaking.

It would leave the door open for other franchises to pick their best players of all time. This way, the league would never evolve and basketball purists can cling to yesterday.

If the Bulls do pick Jordan with the number one pick, it has been rumored that it would create a domino affect. The Knicks would then pick Patrick Ewing, the Pistons would pick Isiah Thomas, and the Lakers would be forced to pick Magic Johnson, a move they are not looking forward to.

"I respect all the fans who want to live in yesteryear. The kind who still believe Walter Payton was the best running back and Babe Ruth the best baseball player of all time. But for us as an organization, we would like to take a shot on a young guy who just might be as good as the last generations heroes," said Laker coach, Phil Jackson.

The rumor is that the Lakers have their eye on either Michael Beasley or Derrick Rose, whichever young player slips past those teams picking from yesterday's heroes.