Basketball is one of the most popular sports in the world. It is not only of interest to fans and supporters, but also to promoters, managers and corporations from all over the world. Several players have gone down in history as the most influential in promoting the sport, and one of them is undoubtedly Michael Jordan.
Dreams of a young boy
Michael Jordan is an American basketball player in the position of a throwing defender, six-time NBA champion, two-time Olympic gold medallist, superstar of the Chicago Bulls, member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, face of many clothing brands, basketball icon and a man whose fitness and physique indicate that he still knows what a natural fat burner is. Before this could happen, however, Jordan had to go a long way.
Michael Jordan was born in February 1963 and his parents are James and Deloris, both from North Carolina. His father was a mechanic and plumber and his mother worked in a bank. While attending primary school in Wilmigton, young Jordan was initially interested in baseball and football. He did not become interested in basketball until high school, when he started attending A. Laney High School, but did not get on the basketball team right away. He only made it in his second year when he grew 10 centimetres. It was then that he chose his legendary jersey number of 23. He quickly found his feet in the sport, so he already appeared in the McDonald’s All-American high school All-Star game in 1981. In the same year, he entered college North Carolina at. Chapel Hill, where he got on the team and met two other great players – James Worthy and Sam Perkins. In just his first year, Jordan managed to win an NCAA championship and caught the attention of NBA managers and promoters. And when he was named academic player of the year in 1984, Jordan left college to enter the NBA draft and seek his fortune among the best players in the world.
A difficult start … great opportunities
Michael Jordan stood out for his offensive style of play, but he did not stand out for his stature and muscles, hence he was only selected third by the Chicago Bulls. However, he caught the attention of the coach, players and fans right from the start because of his style of play and efficiency. Thanks to him, the Bulls managed to get out of the play-offs, but they lost early on. This was not the only loss of the season. In his first major season (1985/1986), Jordan fractured a bone in his foot early on, and as a result, had to miss 64 games. During this time, his team managed to get out of the play-offs, unfortunately, they again fell out early against the Boston Celtics. One during this time, Jordan was won to the All-Star Game team and although he did not play a single minute, he strongly supported the team.
Fortunately, Jordan managed to fully recover from his injury and was able to start his next season (1986/1987) ready and motivated. It was the player’s best season to date, as he managed to win the league’s all-time leading scorer classification, score as many as 3,000 points in a season, record 200 interceptions and 100 blocks and score as many as 61 points in a game against the Atlanta Hawks. His achievements were also heavily influenced by the new player who recently joined the team, Scottie Pippen.
It soon became apparent, however, that Jordan’s second-season successes were only a foretaste of his true potential. The following season (1987/1988), the Chicago Bulls scored 50 regular-season wins, and Jordan himself was named top scorer of the year, top defensive player of the year as well as MVP of the season and MVP of the All Star Game. The team again made it out of the play-offs, unfortunately again falling out early losing to the Detroit Pistons and failing to play in the NBA championship.
Things finally changed the following season, when the team not only made it to the top teams playing in the NBA championship, but also came under the wing of new coach Phil Jackson.
The best among the best
For the 1990/1991 season, the entire team prepared like never before. After persuasion from the new coach, Jordan himself began to play more as a team than as an individual, which started to bring success. The Chicago Bulls also finally had the opportunity to play in the NBA championship and meet the best. This season, the team recorded 61 wins beating such legendary teams as the Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers. They also faced the Detroit Pistons, who they finally managed to defeat in the end, in the final to face the Los Angeles Lakers, where the legendary Magic Johnson played. By beating the legendary LA Lakers, the Bulls reached their first NBA championship.
The following season, the team followed suit and again showed its dominance. Coming out of the play-offs unscathed, Chicago won consecutively against the Miami Heat, NY Knicks and Cavs to meet the Portland Trail Blazers in the final and win the NBA championship again. Jordan was named Finals MVP again for his play and commitment. In the same year, Jordan was selected to the Dream Team, where he played alongside the rest of the NBA’s best players at the Barcelona Games from where he brought home the gold medal.
A third consecutive NBA Championship win did not come easy for the Bulls. They had to contend with many problems and, above all, enormous fatigue and pressure from fans, journalists and commentators. Despite everything, in the 1992/1993 season the Bulls once again showed their dominance and beat the Charles Barkley-led Phoenix Suns in the final.
Return of the King
In October 1993, an unheard of announcement was made – Michael Jordan was leaving the Chicago Bulls. After nine seasons and three NBA championships, the player decided to leave the NBA to fulfil the dream of his recently deceased father and become a professional baseball player. However, he failed to dominate the sport, so in early 1995 Jordan announced his return.
While Jordan was involved in baseball, the Chicago team failed to defend its championship once again. Hence, on hearing of Jordan’s return, the team was strengthened by the addition of three more strong players Toni Kukoč , Ron Harper and Denis Rodman. Under coach Phil Jackson, the team dominated the NBA for the next three years winning championships in the season: 1995/1996, 1996/1997 and 1997/1998 thus being one of the few teams to boast six championship titles. Unfortunately, in 1998, coach Phil Jackson resigned from leading the Chicago Bulls , and his footsteps were followed by Michael Jordan, who left the team forever.
A walking sports legend
Sport is a natural fat burner for many, but for Michael Jordan it was the ticket to becoming a sporting legend. The Chicago Bulls player not only won six NBA championship titles, but also distinguished himself as a marketing spearhead. While remaining a true athlete, the basketball player starred in a commercial:
- McDonald’s
- NIKE
- Gatorade
He is also the face of the legendary NIKE AIR JORDAN shoes, which revolutionised the world of street wear and entered the iconic genre. Today, Michael Jordan is a regular participant in showcase golf tournaments, promotes Jordan Brand sportswear and also rides motorbikes. He has owned a professional motorbike team since 2004. He is also involved in charity work. In June 2006, Jordan became a part-owner and board member of basketball operations for the NBA club Charlotte Bobcats. On 11 September 2009, Jordan was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.