Scientists and historians will always be curious about the origins of the air. How was it created? Where did it come from? In hindsight, why did so many people crave and demand it? The truth is that the air can be traced to Chicago. That's where arguably the greatest basketball players are, and probably the greatest, are born.
In October 1984, Michael Jordan made his NBA debut at Chicago Stadium, his rookie debut, and returned to Chicago a few days later after a road pit stop in Milwaukee. In this opening week, you'll witness history, when the air has hair, when there's a noticeable commotion in the building, when the NBA suddenly changes, when the joy in the voice of the TV announcer shows that this is the beginning of something truly special.
After quickly convincing the basketball people of Second City that he was indeed a star in the making, Jordan received high expectations and curiosity during his first trip to New York, the mecca of basketball. Here's the thing about Madison Square Garden: Fans are pro-Knicks. But they're also basketball fans, and they appreciate and respect geniuses who wear any uniform. Jordan didn't disappoint. He won a seasoned and demanding audience in minutes, first in a warm-up, then in a 33-point game, and finally in a post-game interview.
Somewhere between Cleveland and Akron sits a sparse clearing. There's nothing particularly special about it, and if you don't know its history, you might mistakenly think it's just another piece of land that's not known. However: it was once home to Ridgefield Stadium, the former site of the Cavaliers, and Michael Jordan's personal playing field. Here, he scored a career-high 69 points and enjoyed many memorable nights against the Cavaliers, a team he punished and frightened endlessly.
Surprisingly, this empty land does not have any markers about its past lives. Perhaps, if you sift through the weeds, you will find fragments of broken hearts scattered across Jordan.
Is it possible to say that Jordan was... Underestimated?
Maybe. That's because his scoring successfully masked and masked his tenacious defense. Jordan is an excellent defender on and off the court, able to close passing routes, sneak attacks to score, and defend, triggering fast breaks and transition shots.
He won the Defensive Player of the Year award and was named to the Defensive Team nine times. Jordan was very proud at that end of the court, which was more than many people realized. As Jordan himself explains in this video, his defensive goal is to disintegrate the opponent physically and mentally.
He never left, did he? When Michael Jordan used two words that shook the sports world—"I'm back," that euphoria was thick and loud. After a short break on the baseball field, Jordan returned to the Bulls and basketball team with a new number — number 45 — and an old desire to be the best. Aside from finding a little rust, Jordan seems to have only rested for a few days. The game culminates when the player in the number 45 shirt sends out another number, which has historically been known as Double Nickel.
Spins, dunks, glides, layups, jump shots. Jordan is at his best when he improvises, when he performs moves and plays that he has rarely seen before, when he doesn't even know what he's going to do.
It just made him the biggest entertainment force in basketball, and even better, Jordan didn't keep his best form for a particular team or city. Anyone who has watched Jordan play a game or turned the channel to the Bulls has an equal chance of witnessing this spectacular spectacle.
Great people accept the burden that comes with greatness and perform it every night. So: a Jordan highlighter pack? We'll cover you.
Jordan's dominance over the NBA is significant and far-reaching. He took the popularity of the game to the next level and influenced the next generation of stars. It is no exaggeration to say that he was the Babe Ruth of his time, an athlete whose fame and brand surpassed his sport, so much so that Jordan became one of the most recognizable people in the world. Of course, it all stems from the victory, but also from how he wins. Jordan lifted the trophy, lifted a league, lifted a sport, lifted the imagination of those who witnessed him.