| Michael Jordan Essay, Research Paper
Michael Jordan was one of five children born to James and Delores Jordan. He was born February 17, 1963 in Brooklyn. His parents felt that the streets of Brooklyn were unsafe to raise a young family. So instead of trying to endure the streets of Brooklyn, the Jordan family moved to Wilmington, North Carolina. Michael?s father, James, got a job in Wilmington as a mechanic and his mother Delores got a job as a teller at United Carolina Bank.
Michael always had an eye for baseball. He played as an outfielder and as a pitcher. When he was twelve, he was the top player in his league. By the age of fifteen, he wasn’t the star in baseball as he once was. He was still very good, but he had lost some of his focus. Later, in his high school career, he dropped baseball to pursue another interest. Soon Michael adopted the game of basketball. When Michael reached the ninth grade, he tried out for the basketball team. Coach Lynch, Michael’s coach, cut Michael, which in turn may have made the best player alive today. Michael then took practicing basketball to another level. He played his brother Larry whenever he could. Michael never expected what would come in the near future.
Michael Jordan went to the University of North Carolina as a basketball recruit. Even though Jordan at 6′5″ was a man with potential, he still studied very hard in an attempt to get a good education, while competing in sports. Mike wasn’t expected to be a star of the Tar Heels, since they had players such as James Worthy, Sam Perkins, and Al Wood. But, by the end of the
1981-82 season, Jordan, as a freshman, was an everyday starter. Carolina reached the Final Four with the help of Jordan, who had sixteen points and led the team with nine rebounds.
In the final twenty seconds, Michael made a title winning shot from the left baseline. In Michael’s sophomore and junior seasons, he was voted College Basketball’s Player of the Year. Through Michael’s three years at Carolina, he average 17.7 points per game, while maintaining a “B” average.
After a great college career, the Chicago Bulls as the third pick of the 1984-85 season drafted Michael. Michael made a huge impact in the NBA (National Basketball Association). He made such an impact that he was selected to be an alternate on the Eastern Division all-star squad. With Michael’s growing success in the NBA, more and more companies wanted to use the “Air Jordan” name. One of the first companies to use his name was Nike. Nike paid Michael $2.5 million, so they could begin a line of shoes known as “Air Jordan’s
?During the 1987-88 season, Jordan raised his game to another level. The Bulls? status was also raised to another level with the additions of Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant. Michael was having another great season and this was evidenced when he started on the Eastern Division all-star squad.?(Website) He then finished the season, leading the Bulls in scoring for 81 games out of the 82 game season. For his efforts, Jordan was selected as the Most Valuable Player and as Defensive Player of the Year.
Throughout the rest of the few years Chicago went on a rampage. They had received the best records in history, and with the help of Michael they went on to win three NBA championships.
Michael Jordan announced after winning his third consecutive NBA championship that he was stepping down from the game he loved. He said that he was tired of the pressures. Some people believe that Jordan’s gambling debts caused Jordan to quit. Others believe that the slaying of his father, which happened on August 15, 1993, caused Jordan to quit. There is one final theory that Michael wanted to pursue one of his childhood dreams, professional baseball.
Michael Jordan announced that he would pursue his dream of playing baseball. Jordan joined the Chicago White Sox organization. The White Sox gave Jordan a tryout and then decided that he would be best playing with the Birmingham Barons. When Mike hit his first
home run on July 30,he pointed to the sky honoring his father. However, Jordan struggled in baseball, with a horrible average. Jordan would soon be back to the game he loved.
After spending 17 months away from basketball, Michael Jordan came back on March 18, 1995. Although he was back, number 23 was not back. Jordan came back as number 45. In his first few weeks? back, Jordan’s shot was off, although his outstanding leadership was back. In one game the world new that Michael was back. Michael scored 55 points in a game at
Madison Square Garden in New York. A few weeks later, Michael, a very superstitious man, switched his number from 45 to 23. Although the Orlando Magic in the playoffs defeated the Bulls, the Bulls went on their best winning streak of the season.
Michael Jordan has been called the best basketball player ever by Magic Johnson. Jordan has led the NBA in scoring an amazing seven times. Jordan is only the second player to score 3000 points in one season, with the other being Wilt Chamberlain. Mike was voted Defensive Player of the Year in 1988. Jordan has been Most Valuable Player of the NBA finals three times. He was Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year in 1991. Jordan has also received three MVP awards between 1988 and 1992. Michael went on to lead the Chicago Bulls to six championships in his career.
This man?s whole life has been a great accomplishment. He shows just by the way he acts that money isn?t everything to him. He?s just a man who happens to be a great player and makes a lot of money for doing it.
?Michael Jordan.?Sportsline.27 may, 1999. http://dir.yahoo.com/Recreation/Sports/Basketball/Leagues/National_Basketball_Association__NBA_/Players/Jordan__Michael/
|