Michael Jordan is considered not just the greatest player in basketball but is considered a figure that has transcended various cultures.
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You could not miss the sight of him. Leaping high in the air, slam dunking the ball into the net. His Airness was his nickname and rightfully so. Wearing the No.23 jersey, this athlete made the NBA famous not just in the US but all over the world. Everywhere, people wanted to be like him. His style of play was such that Nike, one of the most popular shoe brands in the world, designed a new type of shoe just on him. His brilliance saw his side dominate the NBA in the 90s. Whatever he did, it was debated and he became synonymous with the culture of domination that was prevalent in all walks of America during the glorious period of the 80s and the 90s.
Michael Jordan has simply not earned the title of the Greatest of All Time just like that. Jordan’s accomplishments include six NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) Awards, ten scoring titles (both all-time records), five MVP Awards, ten All-NBA First Team designations, nine All-Defensive First Team honors, fourteen NBA All-Star Game selections, three All-Star Game MVP Awards, three steals titles. He holds the NBA records for career regular season scoring average (30.12 points per game) and career playoff scoring average (33.45 points per game). In 1999, he was named the 20th century’s greatest North American athlete after Babe Ruth.
But, it is his stint with the Chicago Bulls that is the most memorable. His brilliance, combined with the all-round consistency of the Bulls made them the most viewed and most admired NBA franchise of the 90s. The Bulls saw their greatest success during the 1990s when they played a major part in popularizing the NBA worldwide. They are known for having one of the NBA’s greatest dynasties, winning six NBA championships between 1991 and 1998 with two three-peats. All six of their championship teams were led by Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and coach Phil Jackson. The Bulls are the only NBA franchise to win multiple championships while never losing an NBA Finals series in their history.
Perhaps, the most famous quote of all is from his book ‘For the Love of the Game: My Story’, Jordan wrote, “There is no such thing as a perfect basketball player, and I don’t believe there is only one greatest player either. Everyone plays in different eras. I built my talents on the shoulders of someone else’s talent. I believe greatness is an evolutionary process that changes and evolves era to era. Without Julius Erving, David Thompson, Walter Davis, and Elgin Baylor there would never have been a Michael Jordan.”
There will never be another Michael Jordan. His legacy and his brilliance is unmatched and people in the 90s not just in USA but all over the world had the privilege of watching the magician at work.
