Who is Michael Jordan? Michael Jordan is widely regarded as the G.O.A.T. (Greatest of All Time). Born in North Carolina, Jordan rose to prominence when he hit the game-winning jump shot in the 1982 NCAA Championship game against Georgetown. This was a surreal moment in his life as he was able to take center stage just as his idols Magic Johnson and Larry Bird did just a few years back. Jordan was drafted in 1984 by the Chicago Bulls and immediately took the league by storm. He averaged 28.2 points per game on a 51.5% shooting average. He took home Rookie of the Year honors. He also produced an endless supply of highlight reels and quickly became a household name. Michael was able to carry the underdog Chicago Bulls to playoff berths during his early years but were constantly being eliminated by the Eastern Conference powerhouses such as the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons. With the development of Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant, the Bulls were finally able to eliminate the vaunted Pistons and advance to the NBA Finals. Once the Pistons roadblock was gone, they vanquished the aging Los Angeles Lakers and captured their very first title in franchise history. Michael was then able to capture two more titles with victories against Portland and Phoenix. However, his father died and he chose to try his hand in baseball. He would come back a year and a half later and try to win another championship. Though he was able to carry the team to the Eastern Conference Finals, they were soundly beaten by the talented Orlando Magic. This lit a fire in Michael and he led the Bulls to a 72-10 record which was the best record in NBA history at that time. He would go on to capture three more titles—one against Seattle and two against Utah. He retired for the second time. With the itch for the game continuing to plague him, it wasn’t long until he decided to have one last run; he joined the Washington Wizards this time. He completed two seasons with the Wizards and finally retired for the very last time. Despite having been retired for nearly two decades, Michael Jordan still continues to be an influential athlete. His brand continues to rake in billions for Nike and he is now the owner of the Charlotte Hornets. He is still the yardstick by which others are measured. READ MORE... |