Michael Jordan goes by many names, but there’s basically just one consensual sentiment that just about everybody agrees upon: that he is truly the best basketball player who ever lived.
In our on-going celebration of the upcoming NBA All-Star Weekend, we’ve gathered 10 of Jordan’s finest plays and achievements below for one heck of an exhilarating ride back to the time when Number 23 (and 45, to a certain extent) was virtually unstoppable on the NBA’s hardwood floor.
Once you’re through marveling at his astounding accomplishments, head on over here to witness the top 10 plays and moments of Jordan’s heirs apparent and soon-to-be Hall-of-Famers in none other than Kobe Bryant and LeBron James.
It was ultimately inevitable that Michael Jordan was to be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall-of-Fame, and he did indeed join the ranks of the game’s all-time greats on September 11 of 2009.
On that fateful day in Springfield, Jordan delivered an impassioned and heartfelt speech to everybody he loved and who loved him, prompting him to break down into tears (which was beautifully captured by Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Stephan Savoia; as seen above).
Fast-forward to the present, and this timeless image of Mike remains a powerful symbol… albeit for humorous purposes.
That picture above – now infamously dubbed as the “crying Jordan” – somehow spawned a wave of viral jokes on the internet (known as a “meme” for the social media-lly avert and un-savvy) that caught the web by lachrymal storm. To quickly explain how MJ’s sullen face works as a genius of a gag, just imagine a person or event at its lowest, slap his head on it and voilà.
If you haven’t caught a glimpse of what we’re talking about yet, then check out some of these hilarious,hysterical,sidesplitting gems RIGHT NOW.
Without a doubt, Jordan has earned the title of being The GOAT. Now he can (probably shamefully) boast of another distinction in having become The GOAM: The Greatest of All Memes.
9. Rock-a-Bye Michael
There’s no prettier sight in basketball than His Airness in full flight. Jordan captivated the New York crowd with a gorgeous cradle dunk in his first game at Madison Square Garden.
After stealing the ball, MJ raced down the other side of the court and went up the air looking like he is going for a simple one-hander. Air Jordan added some insane creativity to his finish, though, as he pulled down the cradle and slammed one home against a stunned Knicks squad.
8. MJ’s Record-Breaking Night
Jordan captured the imagination of sports fans everywhere with his record-setting performance in Game 2 of the Bulls’ first-round series in the 1986 NBA Playoffs against the Celtics.
Mike was simply unstoppable in that contest, scoring a record 63 points in a gut-wrenching 135-131 double-overtime loss. Jordan, who was playing in just his second season, averaged a whopping 43.7 points against Boston in that series. Talk about dominance.
7. Jordan Posterizes Tripucka
Let’s say a prayer for poor old Kelly Tripucka, who was posterized in the worst possible way by Jordan in the late 1980s.
Just like his cradle dunk against the Knicks, MJ started this sequence with a steal on the defensive end. He then crossed-up one defender in the ensuing fastbreak before mercilessly throwing it down on a humiliated Tripucka.
6. Don’t You Dare Wave Your Finger at Me
Not even dominant shot-blocker Dikembe Mutombo can escape the wrath of THE GOAT.
Mutombo’s infamous All-Star weekend trash talk came back to haunt him during the 1997 NBA Playoffs, as Jordan famously threw down a vicious one-handed dunk against him. To add more insult to injury, His Airness used the towering Congolese’s signature finger wag against him after that epic throwdown. Uh-uh… not in Mike’s house, Dikembe!
5. His First Taste of Gold
It took Michael Jordan seven seasons, but it was definitely worth the wait. The Chicago Bulls finally captured their first NBA title with a resounding five-game series victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1991 Finals.
Jordan was undoubtedly the star of the Bulls in that championship series, averaging 31.2 points, 11.4 assists and 6.6 rebounds. The defining moment of that title win was his acrobatic shot in Game 2 wherein he delivered a jaw-dropping, switch-handed layup against the Lakers.
4. Mike Posterizes Patrick Ewing
MJ delivered quite a highlight reel in Game 3 of his Eastern Conference first round showdown with the New York Knicks in 1991.
Jordan, at first, seemed to be trapped along the baseline, but somehow managed to shake free from defenders John Starks and Charles Oakley. With only Patrick Ewing standing in his way to the rim, Jordan soared high to the basket and delivered what was (for him, at least) the best dunk of his career.
3. MJ Drains “The Shot”
It was the shot seen around the world. With Chicago trailing by one point in Game 5 of their 1989 playoff series with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Jordan hit an extremely difficult foul-line jumper over Craig Ehlo as time expired to lift the Bulls to a dramatic 101-100 victory.
Jordan’s dagger not only propelled the Bulls to a second-round showdown with the Knicks, but it also carved another scar in Cleveland’s already fragile image in the sporting world.
2. We Don’t Just Believe That He Can Fly, He Already Did
This is definitely one of the most iconic moments in basketball history.
Entering the final attempt of the 1988 Slam Dunk Contest, Jordan needed a score of 48 to tie Dominique Wilkins in their much-anticipated showdown. With everything on the line, Jordan broke out his now-patented free-throw line dunk in front of the home crowd and produced a jam for the ages. That throwdown earned him not only a perfect score, but also his second-consecutive Slam Dunk title.
1. A Fairy Tale Ending
It was the perfect conclusion to a glittering Chicago Bulls career. With Chicago trailing Utah by three in the final minute of Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals, MJ took it upon himself to carry the Bulls to the finish line.
After scoring on a drive, Jordan stripped the ball from Karl Malone on the defensive end to set up the Bulls’ grandstand finish. With time winding down, Mike buried the game-winning 20-footer past a helpless Bryon Russell to lead the Bulls to their sixth NBA title.
