Michael Jordan
The most awe-full player in NBA history


"There's Michael Jordan and then there's the rest of us." -Magic Johnson


Some of my earliest childhood memories are of Michael Jordan. Every night after dinner I would run to the television and turn it to Channel 5 (NBC) in hopes of catching a Bulls game. Maybe 'catching' isn't right - on game nights, I was so engrossed in the game from the goosebump-inducing pregame player introductions (Frrooom North... Caarrolina... at guard... 6'6"...... Michaaeeellll Jooordaannnn!) that I didn't even care if I got my ice cream dessert. I would wail in protest when my mom made me go to bed at halftime on school nights - and would profusely thank her (I think) if I was allowed to stay up later.

I followed Michael's last seasons with the Bulls with all the tireless energy and zeal of an astronomer tracking a rare comet. Sure, I enjoyed watching Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, and stars from other teams, but Jordan always was the brightest player on the court - whether it be a regular season game, playoff series, or even an All-Star Game. I couldn't help but be drawn to his creativity - his twisting, soaring dunks and jaw-dropping fadeaway jumpers were his brushes, and the court his canvas. His tongue would flail behind him as he flew by defenders, as if to mock their helplessness.


Truly Michael's joy originally drew me to the game of basketball. But after I'd watched four, and eight, and twenty games, I noticed a trend: the Bulls did not lose basketball games. Or at least, not very often. As my basketball knowledge grew, I realized that Jordan was the reason. Besides his flair, what set Michael apart from the other players was his leadership - how he would defend relentlessly, how he would rarely take a rest, how he would orchestrate the flow of the game, keeping his teammates involved while knowing when to take over. Michael Jordan was the transcendent athlete - not only did he raise his teammates' and opponents' levels of play, he took his fans to a higher place.

I wondered whether Michael Jordan was born a transcendent basketball player. At the time, I assumed that the answer was yes - that he could never have been merely an average basketball player, he was just too good. I loved playing basketball, and I knew that I had improved my fundamentals since I first picked up a basketball. But I could not categorize MJ with myself, could not picture him as a person with human difficulties. I rationalized that when Michael first stepped onto a court, basketball would have come as natural as running comes to a gazelle, or flying to an eagle. I was wrong.

Turns out, Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team. He did enjoy success under Dean Smith at North Carolina, even making the game-winning jumper against Georgetown in the 1982 NCAA Championship, but then he didn't have to be a leader - he was just the freshman shooting guard on a stacked roster that included James Worthy and Sam Perkins. His leadership abilities weren't tested until he was drafted in 1984 by the Chicago Bulls, a team that went 28-54 the previous season.

Michael failed his first test as a professional basketball player. While he did average 33 points per game in his first six seasons, the Bulls were eliminated from the playoffs every year. Michael drew criticism for his style of play - he was too flashy, he took away from the team, etc. He even said that "There is no 'i' in 'team' but there is in 'win'." He believed that he had to carry the team for it to succeed. This led to multiple playoff failures.

But because Jordan worked to become a better leader, the Bulls finally broke through in 1990-91, defeating the Los Angeles Lakers in the Finals four games to one. This championship began the first of the Jordan-era Bulls' two 'three-peats.' However, after winning his third championship, Jordan learned that his father had been murdered. Months later, he retired from basketball.

The fact that Jordan retired showed that he was human. Despite the fame and glory that came with being the best basketball player in the world, he was affected greatly by his father's death. "My heroes are and were my parents. I can't see having anyone else as my heroes," Jordan said. His retirement became a two-year sabbatical into the Chicago White Sox minor league system to play baseball in honor of his father.

In his autobiography, Michael Jordan acknowledges that his time in the minor leagues helped him relax and clear his mind. Even though his sabbatical took place during what would have been his prime, it did sharpen his mind. He was able to use the time off to interact with his minor league teammates, and to discover how to be a leader at a sport in which he did not excel.

This much-needed relaxation proved to be right for Michael, as he returned to the game of basketball in 1995 with a new perspective and purpose. His Bulls won three more championships, ending with his famous "last shot" against the Utah Jazz to win the 1998 Finals.

I watched Jordan's last game with the Bulls with excitement, but also sadness. I did not want the Jordan Era to end - watching his games had become a kind of ritual for me. I soon discovered that I was not alone - after his retirement, fans' interest in the NBA petered out, and the league had to endure a crippling lockout the year after Jordan retired. NBA attendance figures plummeted, and have only recently begun to climb back up.

This drop in fan interest only begins to show the influence Michael had in basketball. He was the sport's global icon - featured on Nike banners around the world, on commercials (my favorite is #3), and on his own shoe(which continues to fly off the shelves today). People couldn't get enough of Michael Jordan - he was adored even when he returned for two seasons with the Washington Wizards.

He labored through those two years on a mediocre team, and when I watched Jordan, I couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. He was still a solid player, but he was old, and his body had simply worn down from all the years of playing night in and night out. The truth was that even if the mid-90's Jordan was stuck on those Wizards teams, they would probably not win.

However, his competitive spirit and leadership ability remained. While the Wizards did not succeed during the two years Jordan played for them, they have made the playoffs the past two years with a young core of players. It's no wonder that Jordan's contagious desire to win eventually rubbed off on the much-maligned franchise.

Looking back on Jordan's career, I believe that I was lucky enough to witness his best years - between his baseball break and second retirement. This Jordan was perhaps a tad less explosive than he was in the 1980s, but by then he had developed a surreal sense of how to use his teammates and when to take over a game. While he maintained his competitiveness, he showed less frustration on the court. This Jordan was at peace with himself - no longer was he frustrated by leadership issues or confused by his father's death. This inner peace allowed him to fully enjoy his last years in basketball.

I think that is why Michael Jordan continues to inspire wonder and awe in me. Yes, his athletic abiity and uncanny clutch abilities still awe me, but the reality is that Jordan's playing days are over. What awes today is how hard Michael Jordan worked in his life to overcome failures and experience joy. In a Nike commercial, Jordan said, "I've missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed."

Michael Jordan worked to make his high school basketball team, worked to become a leader in college and with the Bulls, and worked to make peace with his father's death. Even today, he works to produce his ever-popular Air Jordan shoes.

Watching Michael Jordan play basketball helped me form good habits as a child. He inspired me to play basketball, and I strove to emulate him, to do the best I could do. I think that this attitude helped me to do well in school, and is part of the reason why I have the opportunity to be a part of St. Louis U. High.

The compiler of this MJ highlight video claims that Michael Jordan is a "God." While this may seem like an absurd hyperbole on the surface, I think that it might be closer to the truth than it seems at the surface. I don't believe that Michael Jordan is a "God"; rather, I wholeheartedly believe that God inspired wonder and awe in me through Michael Jordan, and I thank Him for that.






Youtube Gallery


Left - Michael Jordan: Before the Legend ; Center - Michael Jordan: The Legend ; Right - Michael Jordan's Top Ten Buzzer Beaters



Other Jordan Links
Top Ten Michael Jordan Commercials
Official Space Jam Website



Michael Jordan's Career Achievements


Awards

14 time All-Star
Olympic Gold Medalist—1984, 1992
Five time MVP—1988, 1991, 1992, 1996, 1998
7 time The Sporting News MVP
Rookie of the Year—1984
Defensive Player of the Year—1988
11 times All-NBA—10 times first team, 1 time second team
9 time All-Defensive First Team
Sports Illustrated "Sportsman of the Year"—1991
Named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996


Records
Most scoring titles—10
Most NBA Finals MVP awards—6
Highest career scoring average—30.12
Highest career scoring average playoffs—33.45
Most consecutive games scoring in double figures—866
Highest single series scoring average NBA Finals—41.0 (1993)






Image Sources
ESPN
USA Today
Sports Network
BBC News
MB Adiversity
Rachelleb.com



Video Sources
Youtube.com
(Click on video to view exact source)



Back to My Homepage 1