| Although he has been retired
for several years now, Michael Jordan is still widely regarded
as the greatest basketball player to ever play the game. His
influence was felt not only in the way the game was played,
but also in how it was perceived around the world. Ultimately,
his excellence at his sport was instrumental in catapulting
the popularity of basketball and the National Basketball Association
all over the world during the eighties and nineties. Beyond
all this, Jordan was also a marketing force and was hands-down
the most successfully marketed athlete of his generation and,
possibly, all time. In 1999, Jordan was named by ESPN as “the
greatest athlete of the 20th century.”
Jordan retired from the NBA after 15 seasons, during which
he established a number of prestigious records. His 30.12
points per game average is the highest ever in NBA history.
He also won six NBA titles with the Chicago Bulls and was
the MVP of the NBA Finals every time they claimed the championship.
In addition, Jordan has been the NBA’s leading scorer
for 10 straight seasons and was the league’s Most Valuable
Player five times. He was also selected to the All-NBA First
Team 10 times, the All-Defensive First Team nine times aside
from leading the NBA in steals in three years. The Associated
Press also ranked him as second only to Babe Ruth as top athlete
of the century.
Jordan’s wizardry on the basketball court was evident
from the very first time he stepped onto an NBA court as a
rookie in 1985. He unveiled the full package – a dazzling
array of dunks, ferocious defense and the amazing ability
to score any time he wanted to. His leaping ability was off
the charts and quickly earned him such colorful nicknames
as “Air Jordan” and “His Airness.”
In one playoffs game against the Boston Celtics in 1986, Jordan
scored a record 63 points, which prompted the league’s
then-reigning MVP Larry Bird to proclaim that he was “God
disguised as Michael Jordan.”
The media has portrayed a number of players as “the
next Michael Jordan” upon entering the NBA, including
such renowned hoopsters as Grant Hill, Kobe Bryant, Tracy
McGrady and Vince Carter, who have all fallen short of their
lofty billing. The latest to earn the sobriquet are LeBron
James and Dwyane Wade, but they have a long way to go before
they can earn the right to be called the next Jordan.
Jonathon Hardcastle writes articles on many topics including
Sports,
Recreation, and Games
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