Michael Jordan emerged from ESPN’s greatest college basketball player ever bracket, tabbed by fans as the best to ever play college hoops. And ESPN’s Jay Bilas, who intersected with Jordan when Bilas was at Duke, broke down just what made Jordan special at that level.

“We had played against the North Carolina players in fall pick-up games in both Chapel Hill and Durham. It didn't take us very long to figure out exactly who the best player was, and it was Jordan,” Bilas said. “He was so athletic, quick and powerful ... and his hands were huge. When our teams first met in Carmichael, it was a mismatch. Carolina were the defending champions, and we started all freshmen. Jordan was too good for us, but the entire Carolina team was too good. That team should have reached the Final Four that season, if not won it. People tend to forget that Carolina had Sam Perkins, Matt Doherty, and Brad Daugherty on that team, too. They were spectacular. But Jordan (a career-high 32 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists) was the best player, and impossible for us to contain. He was simply amazing, and never took a play off. Amazing."

Bilas also had a wide-ranging discussion with Evan Daniels, 247Sports director of basketball recruiting, on the Social Distance podcast.

Bilas also nodded to Jordan’s legendary competitive streak.

He was different from the rest, and there were great competitors in the ACC in the 1980s. I have heard Coach K say on many occasions that the best era in the ACC and in college basketball was the 1980s. Think about the players in the ACC then ... Jordan, Ralph Sampson, Len Bias, Mark Price, John Salley, Johnny Dawkins, Mark Alarie, Horace Grant, Lorenzo Charles, Nate McMillan, Kenny Green, Muggsy Bogues ... it was ridiculous. Yet, Jordan stood out above everyone as a competitor.

All of Bilas’ thoughts are worth a look, though some of his best stuff was when he compared Jordan to other players.

“Len Bias was an all-time great college player, and would have been an all-time great NBA player,” Bilas said. “He was Superman. Bias was a great jump-shooter, and a far superior shooter to Jordan in college. Bias was a powerful leaper, and a spectacular two-footed jumper. Bias got better every year, and he was the best player in the ACC in 1985 and 1986, along with Johnny Dawkins and Mark Price. In his senior season, Bias averaged over 23 points and shot over 50% from the floor, primarily as a jump-shooting forward. He also shot over 80% from the foul line.

“As great as Bias was, and he was just awesome, Jordan was the better overall player,” Bilas said. “Jordan was the better defender and the tougher competitor. Still, the fact that it is even a discussion demonstrates just how great Len Bias was.”

Bilas was also asked what Jordan would find easier, and tougher, about playing in today’s game.

“The all-time greats would be great in any era. Jordan would be the best player now, and would own SportsCenter and social media, and he would be bigger than Zion Williamson,” Bilas said. “Nobody could guard him now, or then. He was that great. It would be easier now for Jordan because the game is better spaced due to the 3-point line. He would have far more room to operate. It would also be easier in that the best players are much younger.

“It would be more difficult in a way because the players, generally, are far better and far more athletic than in the 1980s,” Bilas said. “However, if Jordan were playing in today's game, it is unlikely he would ever have reached his sophomore season, let alone his junior year. Because he stayed for three years, he had a profound impact on the game and on the ACC. If it had been only one year, which is the norm now for great talents, he would have been viewed like Kevin Durant or Zion, a great talent that thrilled us for a year, but would we ever really have gotten to know him as a player and competitor? We were so lucky to watch him play, and I was so lucky to have played against him. He was truly unbelievable. Just unbelievable.”