"I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again. And that is why I succeed." Only a handful of athletes have ever had an impact so large on the game that they as individuals were bigger than the sport they played. Even more of a rarity is an individual who impacts not only their country, but are global icons. One of the most popular icons of our time is none other than Michael Jordan. Michael Jordan is one of the most iconic human beings our generation has ever seen, not just for what he did for basketball, but the impact he's had on society. This paper will examine Michael Jordan's on the court accomplishments, off the court accomplishments, as well as his legacy on the sport of basketball and society as a whole. .
Michael Jordan is at the top of the leaderboards and record books for just about any basketball related feat, proving why he is arguably the greatest ever at his sport. He entered the NBA in 1984 and was drafted by the Chicago Bulls with the third pick. Jordan hit the ground running; averaging 28 points his rookie year, being voted on the All-Star team, and earning Rookie of the Year honors. In his second league in the year, he broke his foot but made it back in time for the playoffs. The Bulls played the Celtics, which according to Bleacher Report is one of the top 3 greatest team in NBA history [1]. Jordan being Jordan, scored 63 points in Game 2 which is a record for points in a playoff game that still stands 30 years later. He went on to win Most Valuable Player in 1988, and again in 1991 when he also went on to win his first NBA championship. Over the next two years, Jordan would win another MVP, and two more championships. He also represented the United States by starring on the 1992 Olympic team, better known as the "Dream Team, because the 12 man roster included 11 future Hall of Famers.
