Michael Jordan: Basketball King

There are great basketball players.

Then there is Michael Jordan.

For millions of people around the world, the name Jordan became almost another word for basketball. His red Chicago Bulls jersey, number 23, spectacular dunks and fierce competitive expression became some of the most recognizable images in sports.

But Jordan's story is bigger than highlights.

He transformed the Chicago Bulls into champions, helped take the NBA to a worldwide audience and built a sporting legacy that remains the standard against which basketball greatness is measured.

The Beginning of a Legend

Michael Jeffrey Jordan was born on February 17, 1963.

Before becoming an NBA superstar, he played college basketball at the University of North Carolina.

One of his first truly famous moments arrived in the 1982 NCAA championship game.

As a freshman, Jordan made the late jump shot that helped North Carolina defeat Georgetown and win the national championship.

Years later, that basket would look almost like a preview of his career.

When the pressure was greatest, Jordan wanted the ball.

After his junior year, he entered the NBA Draft.

The Chicago Bulls selected him with the third overall pick in 1984. (hoophall.com)

The league was about to change.

Air Jordan Takes Flight

Jordan immediately looked different from most players.

He was fast.

Explosive.

Powerful.

And when he attacked the basket, he seemed capable of remaining in the air longer than everyone around him.

That ability helped create his famous nickname:

“Air Jordan.”

His dunks became legendary.

Perhaps no image captured this better than the 1988 NBA Slam Dunk Contest, when Jordan took off from near the free-throw line and flew towards the basket with his legs stretched behind him.

It became one of the most famous photographs in basketball history.

But focusing only on his dunks misses what made Jordan truly special.

He could score from almost anywhere.

He could defend.

He could pass.

And most importantly, he seemed to become even more dangerous when the game mattered most.

Jordan finished his NBA career averaging 30.1 points per game, along with 6.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists. (nba.com)

The Problem Was Winning

Jordan quickly became one of the NBA's best individual players.

But championships did not come immediately.

During the 1980s, the Bulls repeatedly ran into powerful teams, particularly the Detroit Pistons.

Detroit's physical defence frustrated Jordan and eliminated Chicago from the playoffs several times.

Critics began asking whether Jordan could produce incredible statistics but still fail to lead a championship team.

Jordan answered them in the most convincing way possible.

In 1991, the Bulls finally broke through.

They defeated Detroit in the Eastern Conference finals and then beat Magic Johnson's Los Angeles Lakers to capture Chicago's first NBA championship.

Jordan was named Finals MVP.

Then Chicago did it again.

And again.

The Bulls won championships in 1991, 1992 and 1993.

Jordan had completed his first three-peat. (nba.com)

Then He Walked Away

In 1993, at the peak of his fame, Jordan shocked the sporting world by announcing his retirement from basketball.

His father had been murdered earlier that year, and Jordan later pursued another dream: professional baseball.

One of the world's greatest basketball players suddenly found himself playing minor-league baseball.

It seemed possible that his NBA career was finished.

Then, in March 1995, two words changed everything.

“I'm back.”

Jordan returned to the Chicago Bulls.

The first season did not end with another championship.

The next three certainly did.

The Second Three-Peat

With Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman forming the core of the team, the Bulls produced one of the greatest seasons in NBA history in 1995–96.

Chicago won 72 regular-season games and went on to capture the championship.

Jordan won the regular-season MVP, All-Star Game MVP and Finals MVP awards that season. (nba.com)

The Bulls repeated as champions in 1997.

Then came 1998.

Chicago reached the NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz.

With seconds remaining in Game 6 and the Bulls trailing by one point, Jordan stole the ball from Karl Malone.

Chicago came down the court.

Jordan dribbled against Bryon Russell.

He created space.

Rose for a jump shot.

The ball went through.

Chicago led 87–86.

It became the championship-winning basket and perhaps the most famous shot of Jordan's career. (nba.com)

Six championships.

Six Finals appearances.

Six Finals MVP awards.

Jordan had never lost an NBA Finals series.

Numbers That Explain the Greatness

Jordan's career achievements remain extraordinary.

He won six NBA championships, six Finals MVP awards and five regular-season MVP awards.

He was selected to 14 NBA All-Star Games.

He won Defensive Player of the Year in 1988.

And he claimed an NBA-record 10 scoring titles. (nba.com)

Jordan is still the only player to have won six Finals MVP awards. (nba.com)

But statistics explain only part of his popularity.

Jordan became famous because people expected something memorable whenever he played.

A spectacular dunk.

A game-winning shot.

A huge playoff performance.

He created moments.

The Shoes Changed Sport Too

Jordan's influence extended far beyond NBA arenas.

Nike launched the Air Jordan line during his early career.

Basketball shoes suddenly became cultural products.

People wanted Jordans even if they had never played basketball.

The shoes became connected with fashion, music and street culture around the world.

Jordan also appeared in advertisements, video games and the 1996 movie Space Jam.

The NBA credits his combination of basketball brilliance and personal style with helping expand the league's global popularity. (nba.com)

His fame crossed borders in a way few athletes had achieved before him.

The Greatest Ever?

Basketball fans will probably argue forever.

Some choose LeBron James.

Others prefer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson or another legend.

Different eras make direct comparisons difficult.

But Michael Jordan's position in that discussion is undeniable.

He combined individual brilliance with championship success.

He was an elite scorer and defender.

He produced unforgettable performances under enormous pressure.

And he changed how basketball stars were marketed around the world.

Jordan retired for the final time after playing for the Washington Wizards in the 2002–03 season.

He entered the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009. (hoophall.com)

Yet his influence never really retired.

Children who never watched him play still wear number 23.

Sneakers carrying his name remain popular decades later.

And whenever a basketball player dominates the biggest moments, the comparison inevitably appears:

“Is he the next Michael Jordan?”

That may be the clearest sign of Jordan's greatness.

Championships eventually become history.

Records eventually get broken.

But some athletes become the measuring stick for everyone who follows.

Michael Jordan became that measuring stick for basketball.