When I mention the number 23 in relation to Chicago, you might think I'm talking about Devin Hester of the Bears, or maybe Jermaine Dye of the White Sox, or you just might think I'm talking about Ryne Sandberg of the Cubs. Okay, let's get real, you thought of none of those. The second I mentioned 23 and Chicago in the same sentence, you instantly thought of Michael Jordan. As well you should. By most accounts, he is the greatest player in the History of the NBA.
On February 17, 1963, Michael Jordan was born in Brooklyn, New York. Early on, his future prowess was not a sure thing, given that he got cut from his High School's team. But he would eventually move onto success at the University of North Carolina, where he would lead the Tar Heels to the 1982 NCAA Title. He left after his Junior Year in 1984, a year which would see him win the Gold Medal at the Olympic Games held in Los Angeles. After that, he was taken in the 3rd round of the draft by the Chicago Bulls.
For the first two seasons, they made the playoffs, but got bounced in the first round. The one highlight from this part of his career came on April 20, 1986, where he scored 63 points against the Celtics in a playoff game. After the game, Larry Bird famously declared that Michael was "God disguised as Michael Jordan". After those early struggles, Jordan's Bulls ran into their next roadblock: The Detroit Pistons. For three straight seasons, the Bulls would make it past the first round, only to get stalled by the Pistons. The Pistons actually came up with an entirely new way of guarding Jordan to gain the edge in those games. Using the Jordan Rules aided them in curtailing Jordan's influence. But then in the 1991 Eastern Conference Finals, the Bulls FINALLY rose over the peak. Tellingly, the Pistons walked off the court in the game's final minutes and failed to congratulate the Bulls on their win.
After that, the Bulls went on to win three titles in a row. And then in a shocking move, Michael Jordan quit the game of Basketball. Claiming that his father's murder was having a lingering effect on him, he played 2 seasons of Minor League baseball. He then came back to the Bulls just in time for them to assemble the best ever record in the history. The team went 72-10, both the least amount of losses in NBA history, as well as the only time a team has won more than 70 games in a season. Additionally, Jordan became only the second player ever to win the All-Star Game, Regular Season, and Finals MVP Awards in a single season. The end of this year saw them win their fourth title. The next two years saw the completion of the second three-peat, as well as Jordan's second retirement. However, after just three years away, Jordan returned to the game yet again with the Washington Wizards.
He finally retired in 2003, leaving a legacy that is almost insurmountable. His number 23 was retired by the Bulls after his retirement. In 2003, his number was retired by the Miami Heat. On numerous occasions, he was voted the greatest athlete of the 20th Century. And in one case, his influence has escaped the bounds of North America. When David Beckham moved from Manchester United to Real Madrid, he switched his jersey number to 23 in part to honor Michael Jordan. Jordan was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009, a fitting conclusion to his stellar and groundbreaking career.
No comments:
Post a Comment