As a basketball player, Michael Jordan is one of the greatest sports stars in history. He became an NBA superstar and inspired millions to play basketball. Beyond the NBA, Michael was also a member of the USA Olympic team twice, winning gold in both games.
Michael Jordan’s career
If there’s one thing we can learn from Michael Jordan, it’s that the NBA legend’s career was never without controversy. He was rarely on his game against Canadian teams, and even against the Toronto Raptors he rarely looked good. However, there are a few instances where he performed well. For example, he scored 38 points twice against Toronto in the 1995-1996 season.
In the 1987-88 season, Michael Jordan averaged 35 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game. In his career, he would finish in the top three in the MVP voting five out of six seasons. He was also able to set numerous scoring records, including the highest average in both the postseason and regular season (33.4%). His dominance during the postseason also was unparalleled. He is the only player to reach at least four fifty-point games in the postseason and have three or more 50-point games in the Finals.
Jordan’s incredible career included two MVPs in four years. He was also instrumental in forming the 1992 Dream Team, which was comprised of the best players of his time. The Dream Team won a gold medal, and Michael Jordan was idolized by millions of fans worldwide. A short time later, he retired from the NBA, but his legacy lives on.
After retirement, Jordan began playing basketball again. He made his comeback in 1995 and declared “I’m back.” He led the Chicago Bulls to a 72-10 record in the regular season and went on to win three more championships with the team. He also led the Bulls to a 14-game playoff run, which earned him the fourth of his six NBA championships.
In his second season, he broke his left foot bone and was sidelined for 64 games. He returned to the court late in the season and scored 63 points in the NBA playoffs against the Celtics. Though the Bulls would lose the game in double-overtime, Jordan averaged 43.7 points per game in the series.
Jordan also played the last game of his career against the Pistons, and scored 93 points. That was nearly double the total of his opponent, Isiah Thomas. Jordan made 22 of 32 shots, and hit 12 of 15 free-throws. He also made eight steals.
There’s no doubt that Jordan had the best career in basketball. He won six championships with the Bulls and was named NBA MVP five times. He was also a 14-time All-Star, and was the NBA’s scoring leader ten times. His accomplishments spanned six seasons and were topped by no other player.
After graduating from high school, Jordan was recruited by major colleges. He opted to go to the University of North Carolina, where he had the support of legendary head coach Dean Smith. As a freshman, Jordan averaged 13.4 points per game and earned ACC Freshman of the Year honors.
His obsession with winning
Michael Jordan’s obsession with winning was apparent from a young age. He hated to lose and hated to be called trash. He would crush anyone who told him he wasn’t good enough. His drive to win was evident from an early age and has remained with him throughout his career.
He was an icon of the “hard body,” and the Reaganite ideal of the “manly” in the 1980s. He helped to re-establish American power after the flabbiness of the 1960s and 1970s. The Reaganites, meanwhile, needed a new male role model.
Even when he failed, Michael Jordan used it as an opportunity to improve his game. He worked twice as hard on weak areas of his game as he did on his strong points. Many people are afraid of failing, but Michael Jordan believed that failure is not failure. Failure simply means that you haven’t tried, so he always pushed himself harder.
Jordan’s obsession with winning was also apparent in his behavior. He was merciless with his rivals, including the Chicago Bulls’ GM, Jerry Krause. He would sit out Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Knicks after he became angry with the coach. In this way, Jordan could withstand the pressure and get what he wanted.
Michael Jordan’s obsession with winning has become an icon of modern media spectacle. Sports have become highly commercialized, with the use of high-tech wizardry to turn competition into entertainment. The images of the basketball star windmill dunking, blazing baseline heroics, flying through the air to snag a critical shot, and soaring through the air to make a dazzling jump are all omnipresent in the popular imagination. As a result, Michael Jordan has become one of the highest-paid media figures.
Jordan has benefited from the popularity of the Air Jordan. The basketball player generated over $10 billion during his career. By the time he retired, the shoe had become a worldwide phenomenon, with Nike selling $100 million worth of products. He also became the face of trainer culture. He was so successful that by 1986, the company had sold more than a hundred million pairs of shoes.