When talking about basketball greats, there are a lot of names that come to mind. But there are two very well-known basketball players that dominated their generations. I’m talking about Bill Russell who dominated in the 50’s and 60’s with the great Boston Celtics, and Michael Jordan who dominated the league with the Chicago Bulls in the 80’s and 90’s.
The comparison between ‘’The Bill’’ and ‘’MJ’’ is that they are both basketball greats and legends of the game. Both Bill and Jordan have won multiple championships, MVP’s, and been to NBA All Star games. Both also have statues in the cities they played in, have their jersey numbers retired by their NBA teams and they are both on the NBA 50th Anniversary Team. But the main
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comparison between these two great’s is that they are both in the NBA Hall of Fame. It’s very hard to compare both of these players mostly because they played in two different generations where the league has definitely changed and they are both two different positions, but they both are legends. There is a lot that I can contrast about the two greats.
Bill Russell played in a generation as racism and people messed with him his family and his house. Also since Bill was African American he was not recruited at all by colleges until one coach went to see him play in high school and offered him to come play at the University of San Francisco which Bill of course accepted. Bill Russell was in a league where there was only 8 to 14 teams which of course now there is 30. ‘’The Bill ‘’ was also on the first NBA all starting black team which was in 1964. Bill Russell’s stats were very impressive too with 15.1 PPG, 22.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists and Russell’s 22.5 rebounds a game is second best all time and he did that at 6’9 which is now known for a Power Forward in the NBA not a center. Blocks were not recorded into stats back then so we are not sure how many blocks he had for his career. Russell has won 11 NBA Championships and him and his team won 9 out of 10 seasons and won 8 straight in that span which has never been done before. Russell has also won a gold medal in 1956 and 2 championships as a NBA head coach. Since Russell has the most championships as a player and was dominant the MVP Trophy for the finals is named after him. Russell contract when he became a rookie was worth $24,000 which and his top salary in his career was $100,001 which in today’s league no one’s contract is even close to that low. Bill Russell was also the first ever NBA player to visit …show more content…
Africa. Now on to Michael Jordan.
Michael Jordan unlike Russell was very highly recruited when he was in high school by schools like Duke, North Carolina, Syracuse, etc. Michael Jordan who was drafted in 1984 dominated as soon as he came into the scene. Michael Jordan aka MJ or Air Jordan who was very dominate as a shooting guard just wasn’t able to get over the hump of winning his first championship unlike Russell who won his first his second year in the league. But Jordan finally did win his first seven years later in 1991 against Magic Johnson and his LA Lakers. Jordan went on to win 3 championships then retired in 1993 to pursue a baseball career. That baseball career did not work out so Jordan came out of retirement to rejoin the bulls in 93, then 2 seasons later he won 3 straight championships again. In 99 Jordan went on to retire again but like the first time he came out of retirement in 2001 to play for the Washington Wizards mostly to donate his salary as a player to a relief effort for the victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks. Jordan finally went on to retire for good in 2003 and he had averaged Points 30.1 ppg which he totaled 32,292 which is 4th all-time 5.3 apg and 6.2 rpg. Michael is also different from Bill in contract negotiation, as Bill was earning 100 thousand, MJ was earning in the millions and he still is. Unlike Bill Michael Jordan was playing in an era where a lot of endorsements came along. Jordan got a shoe deal while playing in the NBA and
his shoes are still selling big to this day as he generates $1billion or more in sales for Nike. Jordan also became the first NBA player to become a billionaire after raising the stakes of the Charlotte Hornets which he is the owner to. Bill Russell and Michael Jordan are both legends of the game and NBA hall of famers and can contrast in somethings like awards and legacy but also differ in stats, position and era which makes it great for the NBA and the history of basketball.
Michael Jordan, in his prime, was thought of as one of the greatest basketball champions of all time. A shooting guard, standing at six-six, Jordan was able to out play anyone in his position. He started his career at the University of North Carolina, where he helped his team win a national championship. He then was drafted by the Chicago Bulls in the 1984-85 season. While playing for the Bulls, Jordan received many awards such as, MVP, five championships, Olympic gold medals, slam dunk contests, and many more defensive and offensive awards. Jordan simply dominated the nineties and left the game as a NBA Finals winner in 1998.
During the time of Michael Jordan and the now present Lebron James American culture has changed a lot. Both of these two superstars show how American society love and appreciate their superstars. The society loves them both, they are both amazingly talented and have supporting fans that will always be by their side no matter what happens, through the peaks and valleys. These two allstars are beyond incredible and show their talent in a variety of ways. Both are very truly “Blessed” with their talents and capabilities. Both MJ and LBJ are two of the best to ever to play the game of basketball. Jordan and James are both good at what they do, Jordan and James’ passion to get to the rim and make plays really put a spark in both of their game. These traits that both of the stars have really make their fans and supporters love them even more! Both of these stars show how American Society love their stars and role models.
He was also selected to be an NBA all-star as he averaged 30 to 40 points per game. While when it came to Michael’s second year in the NBA he broke his foot early in the season and was forced to sit out. While having his year off from the game, he decided to go back to school to finish his final year of college. His 3rd year wasn’t all so great either as the Bulls had another losing season, but they still made it to the playoffs. Michael would also score 63 points to set an NBA playoffs record. As the 1989 season approached the Bulls had plenty of players to help Michael on the court. The Bulls would lose in the second round of the playoffs, though to an eastern powerhouse in the Detroit Pistons. As for the next three seasons, the Bulls would lose to the Pistons in the playoffs. The pistons had a great plan to keep Michael from being a terror on the court by something called the “Jordan Rules.” The Jordan Rules invented by the Pistons meant to rough him up or play him tough. Michael was pushed around by the Pistons because he wasn’t very hefty. While in the 1991 and 92 season the Bulls blew by the league not even the Pistons could stop them as the Bulls would go back to back beating the Suns and the Trail Blazers. While in between the two seasons Michael and many other star NBA players took place in the 1992 Olympics the team later became known as the NBA Dream Team. There was no chance of anyone
For many years Michael Jordan has been seen as one of the greatest players to ever play the game of basketball. Michael Jordan was first drafted into the NBA by the Chicago Bulls as the third pick in the first round of the NBA draft of 1984, after finishing his college career at the University of North Carolina. Michael Jordan has been known for his high flying and stylish dunks ever since he first stepped into the basketball scene, but there is more to Michael Jordan than his ability to dunk.
He was drafted 3rd overall in 1984. (“Michael Jordan Fast Facts”). Jordan averaged .515% field goal .845% free throw 2 offensive rebound 4.5 defensive rebounds 5.9 assists .8 blocks 2.4steals 28.2 points.(“Michael Jordan Stats”). Jordan and the Bulls made the playoffs Jordan’s first year as a pro. He also got rookie of the year and went to the all-star game. Then his second season was cut short by an injury (Biography.com Editors). After his second year in 1986-87 Jordan was the second player to ever score more the 3000 points in a season. The year after that he was named the Most Valuable Player of the year. He got it 4 years in 1991, 1992, 1996 and, 1998. By the late 1980s the Chicago bulls were becoming more popular team because of Michael Jordan. In 1990 the Chicago bulls and Jordan won their first National basketball association championship by defeating the Lakers. While Jordan was dominating the NBA during 1980s and 1990s he started getting endorsements by Nike (Biography.com
...th American sport) led the NBA to name the finals MVP award after him. Russell was also one of the most genuinely liked players around the league, mostly for how he respected the game and everyone who played it. Even in his fiercest rivalries, many of which involved Wilt Chamberlain, the other dominant big man in the game at the time. He never let what happened on the floor impact how he treated him off the floor, and vice versa. There have been countless documentaries and books written about him all of which express how well liked he was along with his tremendous success. To me, he is one the prime examples of a star player on and off the court. He never let his talent or popularity take away from the morals he learned as a child and kept them with him all along. A quality, which I believe, everyone wishes to carry in their lives, wherever their path may take them.
To begin with, I would like to tell you how Michael Jordan is the most well known athlete throughout the U.S. First off, Mike has many endorsements that are popular in American society like Nike and Mc Donald?s. According to the Bureau of Food and Drugs, one and four Americans eat at a fast food restaurant each day. That shows how much McDonald?s has an affect on the U.S. With Michael Jordan, advertising and supporting McDonalds, then everyone will notice him and realize who he is. Nike is a footwear company, which thousands of Americans purchase their shoes each day. When Jordan came to the NBA, he signed a contract with Nike worth $30mil (Jordan Michael Bio).
Michael Jordan, what comes to your mind when you hear that name? Michael had played for the bulls and had gotten 6 championship rings with the team. Well, is it just me or does that sound like a lot of time in the game of basketball? In 1982 he took a big step up from highschool to college, where he wanted to pursue the basketball dream. He went to college at North Carolina where he played NCAA basketball for just one year before he was drafted in 1984. All eyes were on him when he went on the court, because that just how good he was at the game of basketball. Michael Jordan is one of the greatest players in NBA history, maybe even the greatest of all time.
Thesis Statement: Michael Jordan set records and has set the example of what the greatest basketball player can accomplish and really set the standards of what a hall of famer basketball player looks like.
When I began my report I didn’t know much about Michael Jordan, but I did know that he was “undoubtedly the greatest player in the history of the NBA'; (“Michael Air Jordan'; 1). It seemed like every time I heard the word basketball I also heard the name Michael Jordan. There’s just no avoiding him. If you are watching television you might see him playing basketball or golf. If you were reading a magazine there will probably be an advertisement with his picture. If you were walking down the street you might see a kid wearing Air Jordan shoes or a Bulls jersey with “JORDAN'; on the back of it. This man is probably as recognizable as the Pope.
Like Robinson, these men paved the way for today’s players and are the reason that the best athletes in the world now play in the NBA.” (Dave Howell, NBA.com, Six Who Paved The Way, Page 1). African-Americans in basketball, more specifically the first 5 players, began to make people realize that African Americans were not foreign creatures, they were actual people. People also began to realize that African Americans make equally as significant contributions to the society and community as anyone else
Kobe Bryant vs Michael Jordan? This is a controversial question in the NBA league. Kobe Bryant is one of the greatest basketball players of all time who was approaching or even goes beyond Michael Jordan. Both player are well-known to the world and as well as their basketball skills. As a similarity, both players are playing shooting guard and with similar play-style. I grew up with Kobe Bryant as a personal hero and barely knew who Michael Jordan was, now that I have examined the two players objectively. I concede that Michael Jordan’s skills are superior.
Due to the mark Michael Jordan has left on the world as the “G.O.A.T.”, it will be very difficult for any player to surpass his legacy. Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant and LeBron James all have similarities of Michael Jordan but, out of all three players James is the closest. LeBron has the most similarities and the potential to surpass Michael Jordan’s legacy with his personality, stats and he popularity on and off the court. Even though James has the potential to surpass his legacy, there is still a very long journey ahead of James if he ever wants to be considered the “G.O.A.T.”.
First, Bill Russell, the first African American National Basketball Association player to attain superstar standing, encountered a serious amount of discrimination from people battling the fact that he was an extraordinary basketball player. Born into a racist community in West Monroe, Louisiana, Russell was lived his entire childhood strictly segregated, causing him to become sensitive to the all racial prejudice which ...
Michael Jordan, portrayed by Jim Naughton in the biography Taking To The Air: The Rise of Michael Jordan, is well regarded as not only the greatest basketball player of all time but also the face of a generation. During the mid to late 1980s NBA basketball was simply treading water. As a result of the lack of a marketable superstar, the NBA was losing popularity to the National Football League and Major League Baseball. Following Jordan’s emergence, the NBA’s attendance rose dramatically and it’s worldwide popularity skyrocketed. Michael Jordan returned basketball to its past popularity in the United States and revolutionized the way the world viewed the game of basketball. (Harriman) Michael Jordan’s life is succinctly depicted in Taking to The Air: The Rise of Michael Jordan. Jim Naughton focuses on Jordan’s influence on worldwide sports and culture as one of the most publicized and marketed athletes of all time. Naughton explains the circumstances in Jordan’s upbringing that gave him the ability to be a humungous star. This biography is examined by Kirkus Reviews. They describe Naughton’s biography: “Besides offering a solid chronological biography and record of Michael Jordan’s basketball career, here Naughton also gives an astute assessment of this superstar’s impact on society.” (“Taking to the Air”) The article in the Kirkus Review explains that this biography investigates Jordan’s impact on marketing while telling the story of his life. Like Kirkus Reviews, I too believe that Naughton’s work goes into great description about Jordan’s upbringing and later career while also examining his cultural impact. Throughout his life, Michael Jordan has topped the sports and entertainment worlds by becoming the greatest basketball pl...