Michael Jord The Greatest Chicago Bull Of All Time

The Greatest Chicago Bull of All Time

Michael Jordan, also known as the greatest basketball player of all time, dominated basketball beginning in the late 80’s through the late 90’s. Throughout his career he broke many records, and received multiple awards for his hard work and dedication. During his career he has become an inspiration to people of all ages and backgrounds. In his life he experienced many failures, but each time he found a way to overcome his failures. Many people who experience failure and troubled times see him as a role model and are encouraged by his life.

On February 17, 1963, in Brooklyn, New York, Michael Jordan was born. He was one of five children of the Jordan family. When Michael was a child, the Jordan family moved

to Wilmington, North Carolina where his dad worked as an equipment supervisor for General Electric, and his mother worked as a teller at a bank. As a child, Michael’s mother taught him how to sew, clean, and do the laundry, and his father taught him that a good work ethic would help him reach his full potential as a person and an athlete. His parents valued hard work and ran a much-disciplined household. Although Michael was the laziest person in the Jordan household, he was extremely competitive and worked hard to excel in sports. Michael stood out in sports at a young age in middle school, but when he tried out for Laney High School’s Varsity Basketball team, he failed to earn a spot on the team. (Michael Jordan: Early Life and Education." Investopedia 1) However, being rejected a spot on the team only motivated Michael to work hard and improve as a player in every aspect of the game, and he earned a spot on the team the following year. For the next two years in high school, Michael gained national attention from colleges all around the country because of his play. Michael’s perseverance after failing to earn a spot on the team as a sophomore, led him to be named as a high school All-American basketball player. ("Michael Jordan Biography." Encyclopedia of World Biography 1)

During high school, Michael receives offers for athletic scholarships from universities people know for their men’s basketball teams such as Duke, Syracuse, and Virginia but he decides to further his education and basketball career at the University of North Carolina. At 18 years old, he quickly competed at practice and earned a starting spot on the floor for the tar heels in the 1982 season. As a freshman, the Atlantic Coast Conference named Michael as the Rookie of the Year, and led North Carolina to its first national championship under Coach Dean Smith. The championship game concluded with a two point shot made by Michael that brought the tar heels to victory over a great Georgetown team led by Patrick Ewing. ("Michael Jordan: Early Life and Education." Investopedia.1). During the offseason, Jordan worked extremely hard to improve and be the best player he could possibly be. As a sophomore and a junior, Michael leads the Atlantic Coast Conference in scoring, and Sporting News title him College Player of the Year in both consecutive years. After his junior year concludes, he played for Team USA during the summer, and decides to leave North Carolina and declare for the NBA draft one year early in hopes of becoming a professional basketball star. On June 19, 1984, the Chicago Bulls select Michael Jordan as the third overall pick of the National Basketball Association Draft of 1984. ("Michael Jordan: Early Life and Education." Investopedia. 1)
The Chicago Bulls were a team with a losing record, and only 6,000 fans attended their home games before they drafted Michael in 1984.

However, the excitement the Jordan brings to the game of basketball quickly turns the Bulls basketball program around, and they become a successful program again. In his first season with the bulls, fans vote for him to be a part of the All Star game and NBA Rookie of the Year. Unfortunately, during the 1985-1986 season, he suffers a broken ankle and the bulls’ medical staff places him on the disabled list until the playoffs begin. Each season until 1991 was one in which he succeeded as an individual but did not win any championships. Before the 1991 season, the managers of the Chicago Bulls added some players to the team, and they beat the Los Angeles Lakers to win the NBA title that year. In 1992, Michael earned a spot on the USA Summer Olympics basketball team, which was known as the “Dream Team” because they were a team that was perfect, and no other country could beat. During his NBA career, he received award such as Defensive Player of the Year, Most Valuable Player, and he won three NBA championships. ("Michael Jordan: Early Life and Education." Investopedia.

1)
In 1993, after the conclusion of the third consecutive season of the bulls winning the NBA title, the National Basketball Association names Michael the most valuable player of the entire post season. Unexpectedly, Michael’s father, who motivated him to continuously work hard and continue to move forward in times of trial and tribulation, dies when two men shoot him when they attempt to rob him. Furthermore, reports of Michael’s supposed gambling problem leaks out through way of the media. Michael is mourning the death of his beloved father, and he is in stress about the reports from the media about his gambling, so on the day of October 6, 1993, he declares that he is retiring. In high school Michael was also an outstanding baseball player, so while Michael takes a break from his successful basketball career, he fulfills his lifetime dream of playing professional baseball. During the 1994 baseball season, Michael plays outfield for the Birmingham Barons, which are a minor league team in the Chicago White Sox professional baseball organization. Although Michael does not have a successful baseball career, unlike his basketball career, his experience playing minor league baseball relieves him of stress and helps him regain the fiery passion he once had for the game of basketball. (. "Michael Jordan: Early Life and Education." Investopedia1)
After taking a year off from playing NBA basketball, Michael returns to play with the Chicago Bulls again. Bulls and many basketball fanatics were very skeptical about the return of Michael, because they did not know if he still would be able to play as good, and many people expected him to be quite rusty after taking a year break from playing basketball. During the 1994-1995 season, the Bulls played well enough to make it to the playoffs, but sadly they are eliminated by the Orlando Magic. Losing in the playoffs gave Michael motivation to work hard each day of the following summer, and when he was not filming for his cartoon movie Space Jam, he was practicing because he had more to prove to people in the next season. When the 1995-1996 began, Michael regains his shot, and on Father’s Day, he leads the Bulls in winning the fourth NBA title with him as the starting point guard. Also, during the 1995-1996 season Michael won his 8th scoring title, and he reached a milestone of 25,000 points and he was the second fastest player to ever to break that record. For the next three seasons, Michael leads the Bulls in winning the NBA title each year, and in 1997 he is considered the highest payed sports athlete. After the 1999 season he retires from the Chicago Bulls, but just like the last time he retired, he returns to NBA basketball for a few years with the Washington Wizards before officially retiring in 2003. However, after retirement, endorsements with large companies such as Nike, Wheaties cereal, and Michael’s own golf and cologne companies turn him into a multimillionaire.
In the sports world, Michael is known as the great basketball player in history because of the outstanding career he had in the National Basketball Association.

His career is seen as an example of hard work and dedication because of the multiple awards he received, all the games he won, and the six NBA championships which he led the Chicago Bulls to win. People of all ages and backgrounds see him as a role model because of his life and career he has playing basketball. Michael has experienced failure many times in his life, but he finds away to overcome failure each time. Many individuals who also experience failure, are encouraged when they read and learn about the life of Michael Jordan because they can relate to it, and he is seen as one of the most inspirational role models

today.