One should not be confused by the ongoing GOAT debates on sports shows today about premier NBA players and maintaining the interest and integrity of the game, just know that Michael Jordan is still widely considered the Greatest Basketball Player of All Time.
Being a two-sport player perhaps hindered his achievements in basketball sooner, as in the midst of his career he chose to pursue baseball professionally, a sport he initially played before devoting himself to the sport that brought him his iconic status.
Michael Jordan was born on February 17, 1963, in Brooklyn, New York, but raised in Wilmington, North Carolina, among four siblings. It was uncanny that he would frequently encounter the team in his playoff battles and his championship runs. He was revered for his passion as much as his skill during his playing days, and there was evidently a penchant for his prowess in basketball since his adolescent years. His idolization by the public grew as he developed his craft through love and dedication for the sport and eventually outpaced that of his older brother who he admired as a skilled player as well.
Early Years and College Dominance:
Michael Jordan attended Emsley A. Laney High School, where his potential as a player was already on display through superb athleticism and his scoring ability. It was during his years in high school that MJ discovered that rejection fueled his determination. He was cut from his varsity team as a sophomore and subsequently worked assiduously on his skills as a player.
For Jordan, his valiant efforts to improve his game never went in vain but paid off in his junior year when he led his high school team to a championship. All this, while capturing the attention of college recruiters, which led to him accepting a scholarship to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Jordan’s transition to college didn’t see him falter, as was common for more inexperienced players during their adjustment phase, and often translated into them being potentially less impressive. Kotch Magazine.
NBA Ascendancy:
In his freshman year, Michael Jordan continued to make an impact as an outstanding player where his game heroics saw him scoring winning shots which secured the title for his team in the 1982 NCAA Championship game. After completing his junior year Jordan declared himself for the 1984 draft.
After being selected third by the Chicago Bulls in the NBA draft, Jordan quickly became a fan favorite and helped elevate the Bulls to prominence with his dazzling style of play.
Michael Jordan would eventually establish himself among the league’s top players, yet the void for winning a chip wasn’t filled until the 1991 season, after numerous playoff disappointments. Despite this, Jordan solidly cemented his status as the G.O.A.T. Through him, his team would dominate much of the 90s where they would three-peat twice within that same decade.
His individual accolades are as astonishing as one would expect of an athlete of his stature or calibre. He won MVP 5 times and led the league in scoring 10 times while also being selected to the all-star team 14 times.
And as if that wasn’t enough, in 1998 Michael Jordan nabbed the world record for the most expensive worn shoes in history when his Nike Air Ships were sold for $1,500,000 million and his Air Jordan XIIIs fetched $2,200,000 million at a Sotheby’s auction, while his Space Jam sneakers fetched $176,000.00.in 2021.
Though Michael Jordan is hardly recognized for his philanthropic endeavors, his multi-billion dollar brand has afforded him the ability to extend contributions to a range of charitable initiatives. He has contributed particularly in the areas of youth development, education, and healthcare in impoverished areas.
The Jordan Fundamentals Program was founded in 1997 to provide teachers with the necessities to hone their skills in under-resourced schools in underprivileged areas.
In 2019, Michael Jordan established the “Novant Health Michael Jordan Family Medical Clinic” in his hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina. The clinic was put in place to aid uninsured and underinsured individuals while catering to some of the needs of the wider community.
In 2020, in the wake of the tragic death of George Floyd, Michael Jordan vowed to donate 100 million dollars over the course of the next ten years in favor of advocating for equality, social justice, and more accessibility to education and healthcare.
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Contributed by Tarik Daley
