Proclaimed as the Greatest Basketball Player ever just turned 49 today February 17. The legend who wore No. 23, 45, 9, 12 was born at Brooklyn New york on February 17, 1963.
Collegiate Career
- Made the game-winning jump shot in the 1982 NCAA Championship game against Georgetown, which was led by future NBA rival Patrick Ewing.
- NCAA All-American First Team in both his sophomore (1983) and junior (1984) seasons
- Naismith and the Wooden College Player of the Year awards in 1984
- returned to North Carolina in 1986 to finish his degree in cultural geography
NBA
- Chicago Bulls selected Jordan with the third overall pick, after Hakeem Olajuwon (Houston Rockets) and Sam Bowie (Portland Trail Blazers)
- His first season in the NBA, Jordan averaged 28.2 ppg on 51.5% shooting
- Won Rookie of the Year
- Set the still-unbroken record for points in a playoff game with 63 in Game 2 against the Celtics
- First player in NBA history to record 200 steals and 100 blocks in a season
- Led the league in scoring again in the 1987–88 season, averaging 35.0 ppg on 53.5% shooting and won his first league MVP award. He was also named the Defensive Player of the Year, as he had averaged 1.6 blocks and a league high 3.16 steals per game
- 1990–91 season, Jordan won his second MVP award after averaging 31.5 ppg on 53.9% shooting, 6.0 rpg, and 5.5 apg for the regular season.
- *First finals appearance in 1990-91 season, Jordan posted per game averages of 31.2 points on 56% shooting from the field, 11.4 assists, 6.6 rebounds, 2.8 steals and 1.4 blocks. Jordan won his first NBA Finals MVP award,and he cried while holding the NBA Finals trophy.
- Jordan won his second consecutive MVP(3RD MVP Award) award with averages of 30.1 points, 6.4 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game on 52% shooting.
- Capture his second Championship ring in the expense of Portland Trailblazers lead by Clyde Drexler.
- * 1992-93 Season, his consecutive MVP was broken with Charles Barkley grabbing the trophy by leading the Phoenix Suns to the Finals but jordan proved to be to much against the sun as he lead the team once again with an average of 41 points per game and won his 3rd Championship Ring and Finals MVP Award.
First retirement and baseball career
- On October 6, 1993, Jordan announced his retirement, citing a loss of desire to play the game.
- "I'm back": Return to the NBA ,On March 18, 1995, Jordan announced his return to the NBA through a 2-word press release: "I'm back."The next day, Jordan donned jersey number 45 (his number with the Barons), as his familiar 23 had been retired in his honor following his first retirement. He took to the court with the Bulls to face the Indiana Pacers in Indianapolis, scoring 19 points. The game had the highest Nielsen rating of a regular season NBA game since 1975.
Second three-peat
- 1995–96 finished with the best regular season record in NBA history: 72–10.
- Jordan led the league in scoring with 30.4 ppg,and won the league's regular season and All-Star Game MVP awards.
- In the playoffs, the Bulls lost only three games in four series, defeating the Seattle SuperSonics in the NBA Finals to win the championship. Jordan was named Finals MVP for a record fourth time, surpassing Magic Johnson's three Finals MVP awards. He also achieved only the second sweep of the MVP Awards in the All-Star Game, regular season and NBA Finals, Willis Reed having achieved the first
- In the 1996–97 season, Jordan was beaten for the NBA MVP Award by Karl Malone.
- * The Bulls again advanced to the Finals, where they faced Malone and the Utah Jazz. In Game 5, with the series tied at 2, Jordan played despite being feverish and dehydrated from a stomach virus. In what is known as the "Flu Game", Jordan scored 38 points, including the game-deciding 3-pointer with 25 seconds remaining. The Bulls won 90–88 and went on to win the series in six games. For the fifth time in as many Finals appearances, Jordan received the Finals MVP award.During the 1997 NBA All-Star Game, Jordan posted the first triple double in All-Star Game history in a victorious effort; however, he did not receive the MVP award.
- *The Bulls returned to Utah for Game 6 on June 14, 1998 leading the series 3–2. Jordan executed a series of plays, considered to be one of the greatest clutch performances in NBA Finals history.With the Bulls trailing 86–83 with 41.9 seconds remaining, Phil Jackson called a timeout. When play resumed, Jordan received the inbound pass, drove to the basket, and hit a layup over several Jazz defenders. The Jazz brought the ball upcourt and passed the ball to forward Karl Malone, who was set up in the low post and was being guarded by Rodman. Malone jostled with Rodman and caught the pass, but Jordan cut behind him and swatted the ball out of his hands for a steal.Jordan then slowly dribbled upcourt and paused at the top of the key, eyeing his defender, Jazz guard Bryon Russell. With fewer than 10 seconds remaining, Jordan started to dribble right, then crossed over to his left, possibly pushing off Russell, although the officials did not call a foul. Jordan then made what would become the climactic shot of his career. After John Stockton missed a desperation 3-pointer, Jordan and the Bulls claimed their sixth NBA championship, and secured a second three-peat. Once again, Jordan was voted the Finals MVP,having led all scorers by averaging 33.5 points per game, including 45 in the deciding Game 6. Jordan's six Finals MVPs is a record; Shaquille O'Neal, Magic Johnson, and Tim Duncan are tied for second place with three apiece. The 1998 Finals holds the highest television rating of any Finals series in history, and Game 6 holds the highest television rating of any game in NBA history.Jordan and the Bulls compiled a 62–20 record in the 1997–98 season.Jordan led the league with 28.7 points per game, securing his fifth regular-season MVP award, plus honors for All-NBA First Team, First Defensive Team and the All-Star Game MVP.The Bulls captured the Eastern Conference Championship for a third straight season, including surviving a grueling seven-game series with Reggie Miller's Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals; it was the first time Jordan had played in a Game 7 since the 1992 series with the Knicks. After prevailing, they moved on for a rematch with the Jazz in the Finals.
WATCH SOME OF HIS HIGHLIGHTS HERE