Scientists and historians are forever curious about the origins of air. How is it created? Where did it come from? In hindsight, why do so many people desire and demand it? In fact, Air’s origins can be traced back to Chicago. This is where arguably the greatest basketball player — and perhaps the greatest athlete — was born.
Michael Jordan first burst onto the scene in the NBA in October 1984 when he made his rookie debut at the Chicago Arena and returned to Chicago a few nights later after a road stop in Milwaukee. It’s history you’ll witness in this opening week, when the Air gets hair, when there’s a palpable commotion in the building, when the NBA suddenly changes, when the cheers of the TV announcers signal a new beginning. Something truly special.
After quickly convincing the basketball crowd in the Second City that he was indeed a star on the rise, expectations and curiosity were high when Jordan first arrived in the basketball mecca of New York. That’s the thing about Madison Square Garden: The fans are there for the Knicks. But they are also basketball fans who appreciate and respect any talent in uniform. And Jordan did not disappoint. He won over the sophisticated and discerning audience in just a few minutes, first during warm-ups, then during the game when he scored 33 points, and finally during the post-game interview.
Somewhere between Cleveland and Akron lies a sparse open space. There’s nothing special about it, and if you don’t know the history, you might mistake it for just another deserted land. And yet: It was once home to Ridgefield Coliseum, the former home of the Cavaliers and Michael Jordan’s personal playground. Here he scored a career-high 69 points and had many memorable nights against a Cavaliers team that he punished and scared.
Surprisingly, this empty field bears no markings of its previous life. Maybe, if you sift through the weeds carefully, you’ll find Jordan’s broken heart scattered about.
Is it safe to say Jordan is…underrated? Maybe. That’s because his scoring managed to mask and overshadow his tenacious defense. Jordan was an excellent defender with and without the ball, able to seal off passing lanes, dive into the blindside to block, and defend, leading to fast breaks and transition baskets.
He won the Defensive Player of the Year award and was named to the All-Defensive First Team nine times. Jordan took great pride in that end of the court, more so than many realized, as it turns out. As Jordan himself explains in this video, his defensive goal is to destroy the opposing team both physically and mentally.
He never left, did he? When Michael Jordan uttered two words that shook the sports world – “I’m back,” the joy was thick and loud. After a brief stay on the baseball diamond, Jordan returned to the Bulls and basketball with a new number — 45 — and an old desire to be the best. Aside from detecting a little bit of rust, it looks like Jordan just had a few days off. The game climaxed when the player wearing jersey No. 45 delivered another number, one that has become known throughout history as the “Double Nickel.”
Spin moves, dunks, slides, layups, jump shots. Jordan was at his best when he was improvising, when he was executing moves and plays he had never seen before, when he didn’t even know what he was going to do. This only makes him the biggest entertainment force in basketball, and even better, Jordan doesn’t reserve his best for a specific team or city. Anyone who watched Jordan play or turned the channel to the Bulls had an equal opportunity to witness this spectacle. Great people accept the burden of greatness and contribute every night. So: Jordan’s highlight package? We’ve got you covered.
Jordan’s dominance of the NBA was profound. He took the sport’s popularity to the next level and influenced the next generation of stars. He was, quite literally, the Babe Ruth of his era, an athlete whose fame and brand transcended his sport to the point where Jordan became one of the most recognizable people in the world. Of course, it all stems from winning and the way he wins. Jordan lifted a trophy, lifted a league, lifted a sport, and elevated the imaginations of those who witnessed him.