The Story And Legend Of Michael Jordan – Part 2
In the 1996–97 season, the Bulls stood at a 69–11 record…..but ended the season by losing their final two games to finish the year 69–13….thus missing out on a 2nd consecutive 70-win season…..and again advanced to the NBA Finals…..where they faced the Utah Jazz which included Karl Malone…..who had beaten out Jordan for the MVP award in a tight race (986–957)…..as the series featured two of the more memorable clutch moments of Jordan’s career…..when 1st of all, he won Game 1 for the Bulls with a buzzer-beating jump shot…..then in Game 5, with the series tied at 2, Jordan played despite being feverish and dehydrated from a stomach virus…..in what is now known as “The Flu Game”…..in which His Airness scored 38 points, including the game-deciding 3-pointer with 25 seconds remaining. The Bulls won 90–88 and went on to win the series in six games…..and for the 5th time in as many Finals appearances, Jordan received the Finals MVP award. During the 1997 NBA All-Star Game, Jordan posted the first triple-double in All-Star Game history in a victorious effort…..but the MVP award went to Glen Rice.
NBA – 1996/97 – Special – NBA Highlights on ESPN – “Michael Jordan’s Bulls Dynasty: 1996-1997”
NBA – 1996/97 – MJ23 His Airness Forever Special – “Michael Jordan Skillful Offense Highlights Montage 1996/1997 Season”
NBA – 1996/97 – BTM Basketball Time Machine Special – “7 Reasons Why The 96 Bulls Are The Best Team Of All Time”
Jordan and the Bulls compiled a 62–20 record in the 1997–98 season…..when M J led the league with 28.7 ppg…..while securing his 5th regular season MVP award…..along with honors for All-NBA First Team, First Defensive Team and the All-Star Game MVP. The Bulls won the Eastern Conference Championship for a 3rd straight season…..while surviving a seven-game series with the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference …..which was the 1st time Jordan had played in a Game 7 since the 1992 Eastern Conference Semifinals with the New York Knicks. After winning, they moved on for a rematch with the Jazz in the Finals…..as the Bulls returned to the Jazz’s Delta Center for Game 6 on June 14, 1998….while leading the series 3–2…..when Jordan executed a series of plays which are considered to be one of the greatest clutch performances in NBA Finals history. With 41.9 seconds remaining and the Bulls trailing 86–83, Phil Jackson called a timeout…..and when play resumed, Jordan received the inbound pass, drove to the basket, and sank a shot over several Jazz defenders…..and cutting Utah’s lead to 86–85. The Jazz brought the ball up-court and passed the ball to Malone…..who was set up in the low post and was being guarded by Dennis Rodman…..as Malone jostled with Rodman and caught the pass…..but Jordan cut behind him and stole the ball out of his hands…..then His Airness dribbled down the court and paused….while eyeing his defender, Jazz guard Bryon Russell….and with 10 seconds remaining, Jordan started to dribble right, then crossed over to his left, possibly pushing off Russell, although the officials did not call a foul…..when with 5.2 seconds left, Jordan made the climactic shot of his Bulls career…..which was a top-key jumper over a stumbling Russell to give his Bulls an 87–86 lead. Afterwards, the Jazz’ John Stockton narrowly missed a game-winning three-pointer….and the buzzer sounded….as Jordan and the Bulls won their 6th NBA championship….while achieving a 2nd three-peat in the decade. Once again, Jordan was voted Finals MVP…..after having led all scorers by averaging 33.5 ppg…..which included 45 in the deciding Game 6 ….as Jordan’s six Finals MVPs is a record. The 1998 Finals holds the highest television rating of any Finals series in history….and Game 6 holds the highest television rating of any game in NBA history.
NBA – 1997/98 – GOAT SZN Special – “Michael Jordan Ultimate 1997-98 Season Highlights”
NBA – 1997/98 – Essential Jordan Presents “Jordan Dunks. 97’98 Season” – Raw Highlights 69 Dunks
NBA – 1997/98 – NBA Highlights on ESPN – “Michael Jordan’s Bulls Dynasty: 1997-1998”
Music & NBA – 1998 – Special Video – “Michael Jordan Mix – With Song “Wings”‘ by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
NBA – 1997/98 – NBA Finals Game 6 Highlights – Featuring Michael Jordan 45pts vs Utah for MVP of 6th NBA In His Last Bulls Game
NBA – 1991 To 1998 – NBA Highlights On ESPN Special – “Michael Jordan’s Legendary NBA Finals Performances with the Bulls 6 Titles”
With Phil Jackson’s contract expiring….along with the impending departures of Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman looming….and being in the latter stages of an owner-induced lockout of NBA players….that is when Jordan retired for the 2nd time on January 13, 1999…..then on January 2000, Jordan returned to the NBA not as a player….but rather as part owner and president of basketball operations for the Washington Wizards….as his responsibilities with the Wizards were comprehensive….whereby he controlled all aspects of the Wizard’s basketball operations….and had final say in all personnel matters. Opinions of Jordan as a basketball executive were mixed …..as he managed to purge the team of several highly paid, unpopular players like forward Juwan Howard and point guard Rod Strickland….but used the 1st pick in the 2001 NBA draft to select high schooler Kwame Brown…..who didn’t live up to expectations and was traded away after four seasons.
NBA – 1998/99 – NBA Finals Game 6 – Jazz Vs Bulls – Michael Jordan’s Last 3 Minutes In His Final Bulls Game
NBA & Talk TV – 1999 – Tonight Show With Jay Leno – Special Guest Michael Jordan
NBA & TV Ads – 1999 – His Airness Michael Jordan’s Retirement Tribute by Nike – “Just Do It”
NBA & TV Ads – 1999 – Nike Special – “What Is Love”
Despite his January 1999 claim that he was “99.9% certain” he would never play another NBA game, Jordan expressed interest in making another comeback in the summer of 2001….but this time with his new team….when he was inspired by the NHL comeback of his friend Mario Lemieux the previous winter…..so, Jordan spent much of the spring and summer of 2001 in training….while holding several invitation-only camps for NBA players in Chicago. In addition, Jordan hired his old Chicago Bulls head coach, Doug Collins, as Washington’s coach for the upcoming season….which was a decision that many saw as foreshadowing another Jordan return. So, on September 25, 2001, Jordan announced his return to the NBA to play for the Washington Wizards….while indicating his intention to donate his salary as a player to a relief effort for the victims of the September 11 attacks. In an injury-plagued 2001–02 season, Jordan led the Wizards in scoring with 22.9 ppg, 5.2 apg and 1.4 spg….and was an MVP candidate…..as he led the Wizards to a winning record and playoff contention….as he would eventually finish 13th in the MVP ballot. After suffering torn cartilage in his right knee and subsequent knee soreness, the Wizards missed the playoffs….and Jordan’s season ended after only 60 games….which was the fewest he had played in a regular season since playing 17 games after returning from his 1st retirement during the 1994–95 season. Jordan started 53 of his 60 games for the season…..while averaging 24.3 ppg, 5.4 apg and 6.0 rpg and shooting 41.9% from the field during his 53 starts…..while his last seven appearances were in a reserve role in which he averaged 20 minutes a game of playing time. The Wizards finished the season with a 37-45 record….which was an 18 game improvement.
NBA – 1999 – Goats and Glory Special – One 0n One – Michael Jordan (Retired, Age 36) Vs. Corey Benjamin (Rookie, Age 21) + Interview
NBA – 2001 – NBA Game of the Week Highlights – Wizzards Vs Hornets – Featuring 38 Yr Old Michael Jordan Scoring 51 Pts
NBA – 2001 – NBA Game of the Week – Wizzards Vs Nets – Michael Jordan Highlights – 41pts While Announcing His Return
Playing in his 14th and final NBA All-Star Game in 2003, Jordan passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the all-time leading scorer in All-Star Game history…..which is a record that has since been broken by Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. That year, Jordan was the only Washington player to play in all 82 games….while starting in 67 of them, and coming from off the bench in 15…..when he averaged 20.0 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 3.8 assists, and 1.5 spg per game…..as he also shot 45% from the field and 82% from the free-throw line. Even though he turned 40 during the season, he scored 20 or more points 42 times, 30 or more points nine times and 40 or more points three times. On February 21, 2003, Jordan became the first 40-year-old to tally 43 points in an NBA game. During his stint with the Wizards, all of Jordan’s home games at the MCI Center were sold out and the Wizards were the second most-watched team in the NBA…..while averaging 20,172 fans a game at home and 19,311 on the road. Jordan’s final two seasons did not result in a playoff appearance for the Wizards…..and he was often unsatisfied with the play of those around him. At several points, he openly criticized his teammates to the media, citing their lack of focus and intensity, notably that of Kwame Brown, the # 1 draft pick in the 2001 NBA draft.
NBA – 2001/2002 – Game of the Week Highlights – Wizzards Vs Celtics – Featuring Michael Jordan 32 Pts
NBA – 2002 – Game of the Week Highlights – Wizzards Vs Blazers – Michael Jordan vs Scottie Pippen Duel – 1st Time Verses Each Other
NBA – 2002 – Game of the Week Highlights – Wizzards Vs Lakers – Featuring Michael Jordan Vs Kobe Bryant
NBA – 1999 – NBA Special – Michael Jordan vs. New York Knicks in 1st Game as a Wizard
With the recognition that 2002–03 would be Jordan’s final season, tributes were paid to him throughout the NBA. In his final game at the United Center in Chicago….which was his old home court….where he received a 4-minute standing ovation….then the Miami Heat retired the # 23 jersey even though Jordan never played for the team. At the 2003 All-Star Game, Jordan was offered a starting spot from Tracy McGrady and Allen Iverson….but refused both….however in the end he accepted the spot of Vince Carter. Jordan played in his final NBA game on April 16, 2003 in Philadelphia….when after scoring 13 points, His Airness went to the bench with 4 minutes remaining in the 3rd quarter with his team trailing the Philadelphia 76ers by a score of 75-56…..but just after the start of the 4th quarter, the First Union Center crowd began chanting “We want Mike!”….and after a great deal of encouragement from Coach Doug Collins, Jordan finally rose from the bench an re-entered the game replacing Larry Hughes with 2:35 remaining…..then at 1:45, Jordan was intentionally fouled by 76’ers Eric Snow…..and he stepped to the line and made both free throws for the final two points of an incredible career. After the 2nd foul shot, the 76’ers inbounded the ball to rookie John Salmons…. who in turn was intentionally fouled by Bobby Simmons one second later…. while stopping the clock so that Jordan could return to the bench. Michael Jordan received a 3-minute standing ovation from his teammates, his opponents, the officials and the crowd of 21,257 fans.
NBA – 2002 & 2003 – Non Stop Sports Special – “How Good Was Wizards Michael Jordan?”
NBA – 2003 – Game of the Week Highlights – Wizzards Vs Knicks – Featurinf 40 Yr Old Michael Jordan’s 39 Pts in Last Game at MSG
NBA – 2001 – Game of the Week Highlights – Wizzards Vs Celtics – When an “OLD” Michael Jordan Made Young Paul Pierce “The Truth” Look Like a LIE…
NBA – 2003 – NBA All-Star Game Halftime Show – Michael Jordan Gets Emotional During Tribute To Him
Jordan made his debut for the U.S. national basketball team at the 1983 Pan American Games in Caracas, Venezuela…..when he led the team in scoring with 17.3 ppg as the U.S., coached by Jack Hartman, won the gold medal in the competition. A year later, he won another gold medal in the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles….with the 1984 USA team being coached by Bob Knight….which featured players such as Patrick Ewing, Sam Perkins, Chris Mullin, Steve Alford and Wayman Tisdale….as Jordan led the team in scoring while averaging 17.1 ppg for the tournament. As I have told the story many times in my posts here at ImaSportsphile, myself and two travelling companions, known as Los Tres Amigos from Texas, set an Olympic fan record at the 1984 Los Angeles Games by seeing a live event in every sports competition competed at the Olympics (27 sports)….and one of those was the Men’s Basketball gold medal game between the USA vs. Spain….so, I saw His Airness anan d the USA team win Olympic gold….for you just would not believe how joyfull Michael Jordan was after realizing he had won an Olympic gold medal…..as it is truly a lasting memory in my mind of Coach Bobby Knight being carried off the court by his entire Olympic squad after defeating Spain for gold.
Olympics & NBA – 1984 – Preparations for Los Angeles Olympic Games – USA Olympic Team Vs NBA Stars
Olympics – 1984 – Los Angeles Games – Men’s Basketball Special Highlights – “Michael Jordan At The Los Angeles Olympics”
Olympics & NBA – 1984 – USA Olympic Basketball Team Exhibition Highlights – USA Vs NBA – With Micharl Jordan
Olympics – 1984 Los Angeles Games – Men’s Basketball – Michael Jordan Highlights
In 1992, Jordan was a member of the star-studded squad that was dubbed the “Dream Team”…..which included Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Charles Barkley, David Robinson, Patrick Ewing, Scottie Pippen, Clyde Derexler, Carl Malone, John Stockton, Chris Mullin and Christain Laettner…..as the team went on to win two gold medals….with the 1st one being in the 1992 Tournament of the Americas…..and the 2nd one in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Jordan was the only player to start all eight games in the Olympics…..while averaging 14.9 ppg and finishing 2nd on the team in scoring. The USA team never lost a single game in the four tournaments in which Jordan played in 1983, 1984 and 1992.
NBA & Olympics – 1992 – Special Documentary – “The USA Dream Team of Barcelona” – The Story of the Greatest Basketball Team Ever Assembled
NBA & Olympics – 2010 – Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony – 1992 US Olympic “Dream Team” Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Speech
NBA & Olympics – 1992 – Special – The Dream Team Scrimmage in Monte Carlo – “The Best Game Never Seen”
Olympics – 1992 – Barcelona Olympic Games – Men’s Basketball Finals – USA (The Dream Team) Vs Croatia National Team – Full Game
Olympics – 1992 – Barcelona Olympic Games Special – “Michael Jordan Highlights @ The Barcelona Olympics”
Jordan was a shooting guard who could also play as a small forward….which was the position he would primarily play during his 2nd return to the NBA with the Washington Wizards…..and as a point guard. Jordan was known throughout his career as a strong clutch performer…..for with the Bulls, he decided 25 games with field goals or free throws in the last 30 seconds….. which included two NBA Finals games and five other playoff contests…..plus his competitiveness was visible in his prolific “trash-talking” along with his well-known work ethic. Jordan often used perceived slights to fuel his performances…..when sportswriter Wright Thompson described him as “a killer, in the Darwinian sense of the word, immediately sensing and attacking someone’s weakest spot”. As the Bulls organization built the franchise around Jordan, management had to trade away players who were not “tough enough” to compete with him in practice. To help improve his defense, he spent extra hours studying film of opponents…..whereas on offense, he relied more upon instinct and improvisation at game time. Noted as a durable player, Jordan did not miss four or more games while active for a full season from 1986–87 to 2001–02…..when he injured his right knee….and of the 15 seasons Jordan was in the NBA, he played all 82 regular season games nine times. Jordan has frequently cited David Thompson, Walter Davis and Jerry West as his influences. Confirmed at the start of his career, and possibly later on, Jordan had a special “Love of the Game Clause” written into his contract…..which was unusual at the time…..and allowed him to play basketball against anyone at any time, anywhere.
NBA – 1984 To 2003 – JxmyHighroller Presents A Michael Jordan Documentary – “What They Won’t You About His Airness”
Jordan had a versatile offensive game and was capable of aggressively driving to the basket…..as well as drawing fouls from his opponents at a high rate….for his 8,772 free throw attempts are the 11th-highest total in NBA history…..plus, as his career progressed, Jordan also developed the ability to post up his opponents and score with his trademark fadeaway jump shot….. while using his leaping ability to avoid block attempts. According to Hubie Brown, this move alone made him nearly unstoppable…..and despite media criticism by some as a selfish player early in his career….the truth be known, Jordan was willing to defer to this teammates….as evidenced by a career average of 5.3 apg…..and a season-high of 8.0 apg. For a guard, Jordan was also a good rebounder….while finishing with 6.2 rpg for his career…..and on defense he averaged 2.3 spg and 0.8 bpg.
NBA – 1993 – 1996 – Special – “Every Time Michael Jordan Took It Personal”
NBA – 2022 – NBA Special – “NBA Myths We All Thought Were True: Air Jordan’s Hang Time”
Three-point field goal shooting was not Jordan’s strength, especially in his early years…..however, later on in his career, he improved his 3-point shooting….while finishing his career with a respectable 32% success rate. His 3-point field goal percentages ranged from 35% to 43% in seasons in which he attempted at least 230 three-pointers between 1989–90 and 1996–97. Jordan’s effective field goal percentage was 50%….and he had six seasons with at least 50% shooting, five of which consecutively (1988–1992)…..as he also shot 51% and 50%, and 30% and 33% from the 3-point range during his 1st and 2nd retirements, respectively…..while finishing his Chicago Bulls career with 31.5 points per game on 50.5 FG% shooting…..and his overall career with 49.7 FG% shooting.
NBA – 1989 – Eastern Conference Semifinals Game 2 & 3 Highlights – Knicks Vs Bulls – Michael Jordan: “Of All Things…He Chose To Do That?…He Was Basically Asking For It!”
NBA – 1984 To 2003 – Jordan Vault Special Highlights – “Best Of Michael Jordan From Every All-Star Game”
Unlike NBA players often compared to Jordan like Kobe Bryant and LeBron James…..who both had a similar 3-point percentages….as he did not shoot as many threes as they did….cuz he did not need to rely on the 3-pointer in order to be effective on offense…..for 3-point shooting was only introduced in 1979….and would not be a more fundamental aspect of the game until the 1st decades of the 21st century…..when the NBA had to briefly shorten the 3-point line to incentivize more shots…..albeit Jordan’s 3-point shooting was better selected….which resulted in 3-point field goals made in important games during the playoffs and the Finals…..such as hitting six consecutive 3-point shots in Game 1 of the 1992 NBA Finals. Jordan shot 37%, 35%, 42%, and 37% in all the seasons he shot over 200 three-pointers…..and also shot 38.5%, 38.6%, 38.9%, 40.3%, 19.4% and 30.2% in the playoffs during his championship runs…..while improving his shooting even after the 3-point line reverted to the original line.
NBA – 2020 – JxmyHighroller Special – “When ‘The Next Michael Jordan’ Came Face To Face With Michael Jordan”
In 1988, Jordan was honored with the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award….and became the 1st NBA player to win both the Defensive Player of the Year and Most Valuable Player awards in a career. In addition, he set both seasonal and career records for blocked shots by a guard….and combined this with his ball-thieving ability to become a standout defensive player. He ranks 3rd in NBA history in total steals with 2,514….while trailing John Stockton and Jason Kidd. Jerry West often stated that he was more impressed with Jordan’s defensive contributions than his offensive ones. Doc Rivers declared Jordan “the best superstar defender in the history of the game”…..which I take exception with cuz I believe that Bill Russell holds that distinction, just like I believe Russell’s 11 NBA Titles in 13 seasons makes him my G.O.A.T. over “His Airness” and 6 NBA Titles in 14 seasons….but that doesn’t detract one little bit from Jordan’s exceptional greatness.
NBA – 1984 To 1998 – NBA Special – “Michael Jordan: One of the Best Defenders Ever”
NBA – 1987/88 – NBA Special Highlights – “Michael Jordan’s Top 10 Defensive Plays in 1987/88 Season”
NBA – 1984 To 2003 – Hanamichi Presents NBA Special Highlights – Michael Jordan: “The Best Defender in the Game”
Jordan was known to have strong eyesight. Broadcaster Al Michaels said that he was able to read baseball box scores on a 27-inch (69 cm) television clearly from about 50 feet (15 m) away. During the 2001 NBA Finals, Phil Jackson compared Jordan’s dominance to Shaquille O’Neal, stating: “Michael would get fouled on every play and still have to play through it and just clear himself for shots instead and would rise to that occasion.” Jordan’s talent was clear from his 1st NBA season….when by November 1984, he was being compared to Julius Erving…..plus, Larry Bird said that rookie Jordan was the best player he ever saw…..and that he was “one of a kind”…..while being comparable to Wayne Gretzky as an athlete. In his 1st game in Madison Square Garden against the New York Knicks, Jordan received a near minute-long standing ovation. After establishing the single game playoff record of 63 points against the Boston Celtics on April 20, 1986, Bird described him as “God disguised as Michael Jordan”.
NBA – 1984 To 2003 – NBA Network Special – “Michael Jordan: 75 Stories”
Jordan led the NBA in scoring in 10 seasons, an NBA record….and tied Wilt Chamberlain’s record of seven consecutive scoring titles….plus he was also a fixture of the NBA All-Defensive 1st Team….while making the roster nine times…..which is an NBA record shared with Gary Payton, Kevin Garnett, and Kobe Bryant…..as His Airness also holds the top career regular season and playoff scoring averages of 30.1 and 33.4 ppg, respectively. By 1998, the season of his Finals-winning shot against the Jazz, he was well known throughout the league as a clutch performer. In the regular season, Jordan was the Bulls’ primary threat in the final seconds of a close game and in the playoffs…..when he would always ask for the ball at crunch time. Jordan’s total of 5,987 points in the playoffs is the 2nd-highest among NBA career playoff scoring leaders…..and he retired with 32,292 points in regular season play…..which places him 5th on the NBA all-time scoring list behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, LeBron James, Karl Malone and Kobe Bryant.
NBA – 1981 To 2003 – NBA Network Special – Michael Jordan UNREAL FACIAL Dunks Collection: “Absolute Killer”
With five regular season MVPs….which is tied for 2nd place with Bill Russell ….as only Abdul-Jabbar has won more with six….six Finals MVPs, an NBA record…..and three NBA All-Star Game MVPs…..which all makes Jordan the most decorated player in NBA history…..plus, Jordan finished among the top three in regular season MVP voting 10 times. He was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996…..and selected to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021. Jordan is one of only seven players in history to win an NCAA championship….an NBA championship…..and an Olympic gold medal….which he did twice at the 1984 L A Games and 1992 Barcelona….as a member of the USA men’s basketball teams. Since 1976, the year of the ABA–NBA merger, Jordan and Pippen are the only two players to win six NBA Finals playing for one team…..which combined is just one more (11) won by Bill Russell for the Celtics. In the All-Star Game fan ballot, Jordan received the most votes nine times….which is more than any other player.
NBA – 1984 To 2003 – Clutch 23 Productions Special – “Michael Jordan Top 50 Hang Time Moves “
Many of Jordan’s contemporaries have said that Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time…..as Magic Johnson said, “There’s Michael Jordan and then there’s the rest of us.” In 1999, an ESPN survey of journalists, athletes and other sports figures ranked Jordan the greatest North American athlete of the 20th century….which was above Babe Ruth and Muhammad Ali. Jordan placed 2nd to Ruth in the Associated Press’ December 1999 list of 20th century athletes. In addition, the Associated Press voted him the greatest basketball player of the 20th century. Jordan has also appeared on the front cover of Sports Illustrated a record 50 times. In the September 1996 issue of Sport, which was the publication’s 50th-anniversary issue, Jordan was named the greatest athlete of the past 50 years.
NBA – 1984 To 2003 – MJ23HAF Special – “Michael Jordan Top 50 Dunks”
Jordan’s athletic leaping ability, highlighted in his back-to-back Slam Dunk Contest championships in 1987 and 1988, is credited by many people with having influenced a generation of young players…..as His Airness was the player who really took the NBA game above the rim. Several NBA players, including LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, have stated that they considered Jordan their role model while they were growing up. Additionally, many sports commentators have dubbed a number of next-generation players “the next Michael Jordan” upon their entry to the NBA, including Penny Hardaway, Grant Hill, Allen Iverson, Kobe Bryant, Vince Carter, LeBron James, and Dwyane Wade. Some analysts, such as The Ringer‘s Dan Devine, drew parallels between Jordan’s experiment at point guard in the 1988–89 season and the modern NBA….cuz for Devine, it “inadvertently foreshadowed the modern game’s stylistic shift toward monster-usage primary playmakers”, such as Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Luka Dončić, and James. Don Nelson stated: “I would’ve been playing him at point guard the day he showed up as a rookie.” Albeit Jordan was a well-rounded player, it was his “Air Jordan” image that is also often credited with inadvertently decreasing the jump shooting skills, defense and fundamentals of young players…. which a fact Jordan himself has lamented, saying, “I think it was the exposure of Michael Jordan; the marketing of Michael Jordan. Everything was marketed towards the things that people wanted to see, which was scoring and dunking. That Michael Jordan still played defense and an all-around game, but it was never really publicized.” During his heyday, Jordan did much to increase the status of the game…..as television ratings increased only during his time in the league…..and the popularity of the NBA in the U.S. declined after his last title. As late as 2020, NBA Finals television ratings had not returned to the level reached during his last championship-winning season.
NBA – 1992 To 1996 – Special – “When a Rookie Shaq Bullied Prime Michael Jordan and Almost Got Away With It”
In August 2009, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts, opened a Michael Jordan exhibit that contained items from his college and NBA careers…..as well as from the 1992 “Dream Team”…..plus the exhibit also has a batting baseball glove to signify Jordan’s short career in the Minor League Baseball. After Jordan received word of his acceptance into the Hall of Fame, he selected Class of 1996 member David Thompson to present him. As Jordan would later explain during his induction speech in September 2009, he was not a fan of the Tar Heels when growing up in North Carolina but greatly admired Thompson…..who played for the rival NC State Wolfpack. In September, he was inducted into the Hall with several former Bulls teammates in attendance….which included Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, Charles Oakley, Ron Harper, Steve Kerr and Toni Kukoč…..along with coaches Dean Smith and Doug Colling. His emotional reaction during his speech when he began to cry was captured by Associated Press photographer Stephan Savoia……and would later go viral on social media as the “Crying Jordan” Internet meme. In 2016, President Barack Obama honored Jordan with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In October 2021, Jordan was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.
NBA – 2009 – Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony – Michael Jordan’s Acceptance Speech
After his 3rd retirement, Jordan assumed that he would be able to return to his front office position as Director of Basketball Operations with the Wizards. His previous tenure in the Wizards’ front office had produced mixed results and may have also influenced the trade of Richard “Rip” Hamilton for Jerry Stackhouse, although Jordan was not technically Director of Basketball Operations in 2002. On May 7, 2003, Wizards owner Abe Pollin fired Jordan as the team’s president of basketball operations. Jordan later stated that he felt betrayed…..and that if he had known he would be fired upon retiring, he never would have come back to play for the Wizards. Jordan kept busy over the next few years. He stayed in shape…..as he played golf in celebrity charity tournaments…..and spent time with his family in Chicago…..when he also promoted his Jordan Brand clothing line….and rode motorcycles. Since 2004, Jordan has owned Michael Jordan Motorsports, a professional closed-course motorcycle road racing team that competed with two Suzukis in the premier Superbike championship sanctioned by the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) until the end of the 2013 season.
NBA – 1992 – Chicago Bulls Special Film – “UntouchaBULLS” – The Chicago Bulls ‘ 2nd Championship
On June 15, 2006, Jordan bought a minority stake in the Charlotte Bobcats (known as the Hornets since 2013)…..while becoming the team’s 2nd-largest shareholder behind majority owner Robert L. Johnson. As part of the deal, Jordan took full control over the basketball side of the operation…..with the title Managing Member of Basketball Operations. Despite Jordan’s previous success as an endorser, he has made an effort not to be included in the team’s marketing campaigns. A decade earlier, Jordan had made a bid to become part-owner of Charlotte’s original NBA team, the Charlotte Hornets ….but talks collapsed when owner George Shinn refused to give Jordan complete control of basketball operations.
NBA – 1996 – Game of the Week – Highlights Miami Heat Vs Chicago Bulls – “That One Time Michael Jordan Got Bullied By His Own Friend in The Middle of a Game”
In February 2010, it was reported that Jordan was seeking majority ownership of the Bobcats…..and as February wore on, it became apparent that Jordan and former Houston Rockets president George Postolos were the leading contenders for ownership of the team. On February 27, the Bobcats announced that Johnson had reached an agreement with Jordan and his group, MJ Basketball Holdings, to buy the team from Johnson pending NBA approval…..then on March 17, the NBA Board of Governors unanimously approved Jordan’s purchase…..thus making him the 1st former player to become the majority owner of an NBA team…..as it also made him the league’s only African-American majority owner.
NBA – 2019 – ESPN Special Interview – Karl Malone speaks about Michael Jordan
NBA – 198 To 2003 – ESPN Special – “Michael Jordan 23 Years”
During the 2011 NBA lockout, The New York Times wrote that Jordan led a group of 10 to 14 hardline owners who wanted to cap the players’ share of basketball-related income at 50% and as low as 47%….when journalists observed that during the labor dispute in 1998, Jordan had told Washington Wizards then-owner Abe Pollin, “If you can’t make a profit, you should sell your team.”….. when Jason Whitlock of FoxSports.com called Jordan “a hypocrite sellout who can easily betray the very people who made him a billionaire global icon” for wanting “current players to pay for his incompetence”…..as he cited Jordan’s executive decisions to draft disappointing players Kwame Brown and Adam Morrison. During the 2011–12 NBA season that was shortened to 66 games by the lockout, the Bobcats posted a 7–59 record. The team closed out the season with a 23-game losing streak…..when their .106 winning percentage was the worst in NBA history. Before the next season, Jordan said, “I’m not real happy about the record book scenario last year. It’s very, very frustrating.” During the 2019 NBA offseason, Jordan sold a minority piece of the Hornets to Gabe Plotkin and Daniel Sundheim, retaining the majority of the team for himself, as well as the role of chairman.
NBA – 1984 -2003 – NBA Special Interviews + Highlights – “NBA Legends Explain Why Michael Jordan Was Better Than Everybody”
NBA – 2022 – Special – NBA Legends And Players Explain Why Michael Jordan Would Destroy Today’s NBA
On September 21, 2020, Jordan and NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin announced they would be fielding a NASCAR team with Bubba Wallace driving…..and beginning competition in the 2021 season…..then on October 22, the team’s name was confirmed to be 23XI Racing (pronounced twenty-three eleven)…..and the team’s entry would bear # 23.
Auto Racing & NBA – 2021 – NASCAR Racing Special – “Michael Jordan’s $150 Million New Nascar Team “23XI Racing”
NBA & Auto Racing – 2021 – NASCAR Special Interview – Michael Jordan, Denny Hamlin, and Bubba Wallace on Their Hunt for NASCAR Success
Auto Racing & Talk Show – First Take Special – “Stephen A. Reacts to Michael Jordan Starting a NASCAR Team with Bubba Wallace Driving”
Jordan is the fourth of five children. He has two older brothers, Larry Jordan and James R. Jordan Jr., one older sister, Deloris, and one younger sister, Roslyn. James retired in 2006 as the command sergeant major of the 35th Signal Brigade of the XVIII Airborne Corps in the U.S. Army. Jordan’s nephew through Larry, Justin Jordan, played NCAA Division I basketball for the UNC Greensboro Spartans….and is a scout for the Charlotte Hornets. Jordan married Juanita Vanoy on September 2, 1989, at A Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas, Nevada…..then they had two sons, Jeffrey and Marcus, and a daughter, Jasmine. The Jordan couple filed for divorce on January 4, 2002….while citing irreconcilable differences…..but reconciled shortly thereafter…..when they again filed for divorce…..and were granted a final decree of dissolution of marriage on December 29, 2006….while commenting that the decision was made “mutually and amicably”. It is reported that Juanita received a $168 million settlement…..thus making it the largest celebrity divorce settlement on public record at the time.
Basketball – 1963 To 2022 – Special Documentary by Jeannie Morris – “Michael Jordan”
In 1991, Jordan purchased a lot in Highland Park, Illinois, where he built a 56,000 square-foot (5,200 m2) mansion…..which was completed in 1995…..as he listed the mansion for sale in 2012…..while he also owns homes in North Carolina and Jupiter Island, Florida. His two sons attended Loyola Academy, a private Catholic school in Wilmette, Illinois….as Jeffrey graduated in 2007 …..then played his 1st collegiate basketball game for the University of Illinois in November 2007…..then after two seasons, he left the Illinois basketball team in 2009…..but he later rejoined the team for a 3rd season….then received a release to transfer to the University of Central Florida….where Marcus was attending. Marcus transferred to Whitney Young High School after his sophomore year at Loyola Academy and graduated in 2009. He began attending UCF in the fall of 2009….and played three seasons of basketball for the school. Jordan proposed to his longtime girlfriend, Cuban-American model Yvette Prieto, on Christmas 2011….and they were married on April 27, 2013, at Bethesda-by-the-Sea Episcopal Church. It was announced on November 30, 2013, that the two were expecting their first child together. On February 11, 2014, Prieto gave birth to identical twin daughters named Victoria and Ysabel. In 2019, Jordan became a grandfather when his daughter Jasmine gave birth to a son….whose father is professional basketball player Rakeem Christmas.
NBA – 2022 – Special – “How Michael Jordan Spends His $2 Billion Dollars”
NBA – 2022 – Lifestyles Special – Michael Jordan One on One – “Family, Feats and The Future”
Jordan is one of the most marketed sports figures in history…..as he has been a major spokesman for such brands as Nike, Coca-Cola, Chevrolet, Gatorade, McDonald’s, Ball Park Franks, Rayovac, Wheaties, Hanes and MCI. Jordan has had a long relationship with Gatorade…..while appearing in 20+ commercials for the company since 1991….which included the “Be Like Mike” commercials in which a song was sung by children wishing to be like Jordan.
TV Ads & NBA – 1986 To 2003 – Funniest Commercials Compilation – “Best of Michael Jordan Hanes Commercials”
TV Ads & NBA – 1993 – Larry Bird vs. Michael Jordan McDonalds Commercial – “Larry Bird Challenges Michael Jordan to a Shooting Contest for his Big Mac”
TV Ads & NBA – 1985 – Michael Jordan Coca-Cola Treehouse Commercial
TV Ads & NBA – 2003 – Michael Jordan Old Gatorade Commercial – “Old Michael Jordan vs Michael Jordan One on One”
TV Ads & NBA – 1986 – Michael Jordan Chevrolet Commercial
TV Ads & NBA – 2011 – NBA Finals Commercial : Michael Jordan – “MJ Came Back to Win his 4th Championship in 1996 on Father’s Day”
Nike created a signature shoe for His Airness called the Air Jordan, in 1984 ….with one of Jordan’s more popular commercials for the shoe involved Spike Lee playing the part of Mars Blackmon….when in the commercials, Lee, as Blackmon, attempted to find the source of Jordan’s abilities and became convinced that “it’s gotta be the shoes”. The hype and demand for the shoes even brought on a spate of “shoe-jackings”…..where people were robbed of their sneakers at gunpoint. Subsequently, Nike spun off the Jordan line into its own division named the “Jordan Brand”…..while the company features an impressive list of athletes and celebrities as endorsers. The brand has also sponsored college sports programs such as those of North Carolina, California, Georgetown, and Marquette.
TV Ads & NBA – 1986 To 2020 – Every Michael Jordan “Air Jordan” Commercial (1986 – 2020)
TV Ads & NBA – Michael Jordan for Nike Air Jordan – “Maybe It’s My Fault”
TV Ads & NBA – 1991 To 2003 – Michael Jordan for Nike – Top 5 Motivational Michael Jordan Commercials
TV Ads & NBA – 1994 – Michael Jordan for Nike – Aerospace Jordan – “Michael Jordan and Bugs Bunny Team Up to Fight Marvin the Martian and K-9”
Jordan also has been associated with the Looney Tunes cartoon characters…. when A Nike commercial shown during 1992’s Super Bowl XXVI featured Jordan and Bugs Bunny playing basketball…..which inspired the 1996 live action/animated film Space Jam starring Jordan and Bugs in a fictional story set during the former’s 1st retirement from basketball…..and the two have subsequently appeared together in several commercials for MCI…..plus, Jordan also made an appearance in the music video for Michael Jackson’s “Jam” in 1992. Since 2008, Jordan’s yearly income from the endorsements is estimated to be over $40 million. In addition, when Jordan’s power at the ticket gates was at its highest point, the Bulls regularly sold out both their home and road games…..and due to this, Jordan set records in player salary by signing annual contracts worth in excess of $30 million per season….as an academic study found that Jordan’s 1st NBA comeback resulted in an increase in the market capitalization of his client firms of more than $1 billion. Most of Jordan’s endorsement deals, including his 1st deal with Nike, were engineered by his agent, David Falk…..as His Airness has described Falk as “the best at what he does”…..and that “marketing-wise, he’s great. He’s the one who came up with the concept of ‘Air Jordan.'”
NBA & Animation Movie – 1996 – Movie Clip from “Space Jam” – Scene When Michael Jordan Meets Bugs Bunny
NBA & Animation Movie – 1996 – Movie Clip from “Space Jam” – Scene With Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny in Michael Jordan’s House
NBA & Animation Movie – 1996 – Movie Clip from “Space Jam” – Scene of Final Game Between the Monstars and the Tune Squad
In June 2010, Jordan was ranked by Forbes as the 20th-most powerful celebrity in the world with $55 million earned between June 2009 and June 2010…..as Forbes says that the Jordan Brand generates $1 billion in sales for Nike. In June 2014, Jordan was named the 1st NBA player to become a billionaire….which was after he increased his stake in the Charlotte Hornets from 80% to 89.5%. On January 20, 2015, Jordan was honored with the Charlotte Business Journal’s Business Person of the Year for 2014. Forbes designated Jordan as the athlete with the highest career earnings in 2017. From his Jordan Brand income and endorsements, Jordan’s 2015 income was an estimated $110 million, the most of any retired athlete. As of 2021, his net worth is estimated at $1.6 billion by Forbes…..which makes him the 5th-richest African-American, behind Robert F. Smith, David Steward, Oprah Winfrey and Kanye West.
NBA – 2020 – Forbes Building Fortunes Special – “Michael Jordan: World’s Richest Athlete” – How He Made His $2.1 Billion Fortune
NBA – 2020 – Special – “How Michael Jordan Became The Richest Athlete Ever”
NBA – 2020 – Special – “How Michael Jordan Spends His Billions”
NBA – 2021 – Motivational Video – “Michael Jordan: Winners Mindset”
Jordan co-owns an automotive group which bears his name. The company has a Nissan dealership in Durham, North Carolina, acquired in 1990, and formerly had a Lincoln–Mercury dealership from 1995 until its closure in June 2009. The company also owned a Nissan franchise in Glen Burnie, Maryland. The restaurant industry is another business interest of Jordan’s. Restaurants he has owned include a steakhouse in New York City’s Grand Central Terminal, among others; that restaurant closed in 2018. Jordan is the majority investor in a golf course, Grove XXIII, under construction in Hobe Sound, Florida. In September 2020, Jordan became an investor and advisor for DraftKings.
NBA – 1984 To 2003 – A Rebound NBA Special – “Times Michael Jordan DISRESPECTED NBA Players”
From 2001 to 2014, Jordan hosted an annual golf tournament, the Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitational…..which raised money for various charities. In 2006, Jordan and his wife Juanita pledged $5 million to Chicago’s Hales Franciscan High School. …and the Jordan Brand has made donations to Habitat for Humanity and a Louisiana branch of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. The Make-A-Wish Foundation named Jordan its Chief Wish Ambassador in 2008. In 2013, he granted his 200th wish for the organization….and as of 2019, he has raised more than $5 million for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. In 2015, Jordan donated a settlement of undisclosed size from a lawsuit against supermarkets that had used his name without permission to 23 different Chicago charities. In 2017, Jordan funded two Novant Health Michael Jordan Family Clinics in Charlotte, North Carolina, by giving $7 million, the biggest donation he had made at the time. In 2018, after Hurricane Florence damaged parts of North Carolina, including his former hometown of Wilmington, Jordan donated $2 million to relief efforts…..and he gave $1 million to aid the Bahamas’ recovery following Hurricane Dorian in 2019. On June 5, 2020, in the wake of the protests following the murder of George Floyd, Jordan and his brand announced in a joint statement that they would be donating $100 million over the next 10 years to organizations dedicated to “ensuring racial equality, social justice and greater access to education”. In February 2021, Jordan funded two Novant Health Michael Jordan Family Clinics in New Hanover County, North Carolina, by giving $10 million. Suffice to say, His Airness has been a generous philanthropist.
Music & NBA – 2012 – Music Video Special – Eminem – “Airplanes” – Featuring Michael Jordan
Music & NBA – 1992 – Special Video – Michael Jackson + Michael Jordan Play and Dance to “Jam”
Music & NBA – 1992 – Official Music Video – Michael Jackson’s “Jam” – Featuring Michael Jordan
Jordan played himself in the 1996 comedy film Space Jam….and albeit the film received mixed reviews….but it was a box office success while making $230 million worldwide…..and earned more than $1 billion through merchandise sales.
Movie & NBA – 1996 – Official Trailer for “Space Jam” – Starring Michael Jordan + Bill Murray + Bugs Bunny
TV Shows & NBA – 2021 – History Channel on TV’s “Pawn Stars” Rick and Chum Visit to L A Warehouse of Rare Shoes – To Discover a $1,000,000 Price Tag for Michael Jordan’s “Space Jam” Sneakers
In 2000, Jordan was the subject of an IMAX documentary about his career with the Chicago Bulls….which focused especially on the 1998 NBA playoffs …..and was entitled Michael Jordan to the Max. Two decades later, the same period of Jordan’s life was covered in much greater and more personal detail by the Emmy Award-winning The Last Dance…..which was a 10-part TV documentary which debuted on ESPN in April and May 2020…..and relied heavily on about 500 hours of candid film of Jordan’s and his teammates’ off-court activities…..which an NBA Entertainment crew had shot over the course of the 1997–98 NBA season for use in a documentary. The project was delayed for many years because Jordan had not yet given his permission for the footage to be used. He was interviewed at three homes associated with the production and did not want cameras in his home or on his plane…. as according to director Jason Hehir “there are certain aspects of his life that he wants to keep private”. Jordan granted rapper Travis Scott permission to film a music video for his single “Franchise” at his home in Highland Park, Illinois.
NBA – 1984 To 1998 – The Jordan Vault Presents Special Bulls Career Highlights – “Michael Jordan’s Historic Bulls Mixtape”
In putting a cap on this story and post of the one and only His Airness Michael Jordan….and after watching all of the videos posted herewith….it is safe to say that like all the greats, he is more than an athlete…..cuz he elevated his sport into an art form and inspired millions….but the thing that’s truly different about MJ, was that everything he did looks cool….as he is truly timeless….for all you have to do is listen to the announcers scream, to the way that the crowds erupt time and time again….and the fact remains that basketball will never be the same. Michael Jordan is such a legend that people use his name to describe other great people….for example: Tony Hawk is the Michael Jordan of skateboarding……now that is truly amazing. The most amazing thing is that his highlight reel stuff was just icing…..cuz his metronome like mid range game, smothering defense and leadership and intensity were what made the Bulls almost unbeatable…..whereby his spectacular stuff was almost like window dressing to allow people who don’t know the game to appreciate that he’s the best in a different….which was more easily understandable way that was consumable the masses. Jordan had it all….with phenomenal control of the ball….while embodying a grip strength that allowed him to keep the ball in his hand…..plus being slim, light, tall and very fast….which made it seem like he was flying when dunking…..and allowed him to draw everything in the air so beautifully. It is my opinion that one of humanities greatest failures was not inventing HD TV in time for Michael Jordan….for the truth be known, it will never be this cinematic again…..not the free throw line dunks….the MVPs…..the DPOYs….. the scoring titles…..the aerial acrobatics…..the game winners….the 63 on the Celtics….The Shot against the Cavaliers…..the switching hands in mid–air against the Lakers…..The Shrug against the Trail Blazers…..The Dream Team. …..The Flu Game against the Jazz…..the leaving the game having proved you’re the at the top of the basketball heap in its history…..then coming back and proving it all over again…..the Final Shot against the Jazz….the best regular season record in the history of the game with 72 -10, and winning a championship to top it off…..the two three–peat NBA Titles while never losing in the Finals and never even going to a Game 7…..the greatest scorer in the history of the game…..the greatest perimeter defender to ever play….. the archetype of what a true competitor is…..with an unrelenting will to win….and you certainly have what G.O.A.Ts are made of. It’wasn’t about statistics with Jordan….but rather it was style, determination, teamwork, delivering and flying…..for this man was complete on every level…..which makes him a legend forever. Jordan was such an elegant player…..and his strength and skill was absolutely incredible. His Airness was an amazing athlete….who simply was a stone cold killer on the court. MJ was one of the best athletes of all time…..while combining a perfect union of physical and mental….as truly great athletes have the perfect combination of physical athletic perfection and a high level of intelligence…..who are always able to pair the two perfectly and limitlessly. That is why they always describe it as living in a dream when they perform….cuz everything just goes their way…. when the mind body connection is unparalleled. I love how Jordan articulates his thoughts…..which just goes to show how much of an intellectual person he is….for he does not use complex words to impress…. but rather keeps his explanations simple and straight forward….so that any person of all status quo can understand. One of my key takeaways as to the type of person MJ is is how eloquent of a speaker he is….and how genuinely intelligent he is in all matters of life not just his natural basketball acumen…. but business and generally intelligent conversationalist….for he is one of the few people you can listen to speak….and not get tired of sitting back and seriously taking in his wisdom. It’s clear he’s a very serious person….,who has a limited sense of humor before the serious side takes over again…..but I can relate with that and it’s one of the many reasons why he was such an intense and serious player, focused on winning almost above all else. He had such a precise and refined hand eye coordination that no one can mimmick…..along with an acute sense of spatial awareness….in addition to the ability to visualize where the ball would go after it left his hand…..as he understood exactly how much pressure and technique to apply to the ball in order to get his spot wherever he was at any point on the court. It was simply fascinating to watch his speed, strength, finesse, coordination and his technique…..which in my opinion are like no other…..for he cracked the code on how to play the game of basketball. I don’t think theren will ever be another this good because of all of the variables that MJ perfected on the court…..and another point, MJs real secret sauce that nobody ever talks about is his mastery of dribbling the basketball…..as this man could dribble around just about anybody and anything….which seems to be the most underrated part of his game. He was unstoppable in the era when defense was the fiercest and most aggressive…..so, how do you stop him in any other era? It’s not just the numbers, the championships, etc…..but rather it’s the way he did it…..cuz he was the most electrifying, exciting, athletic player ever…..who was never afraid of taking the game winning shot…..and 9 out of 10 times he beat you with his no fear of losing attitude…..cuz when you are not afraid to lose, you have the best chance to win. Not once does Jordan ever refer to himself as “the greatest of all-time”…..for greatness speaks for itself…..as Michael Jordan so aptly said “All my life I have made mistake after mistake, mistake and mistake. That’s why I succeeded.” There will NEVER be another quite like His Royal Airness!!!
NBA – 2009 – Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony – Michael Jordan Career Highlights
