Finally in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame: Michael Jeffrey Jordan.
This is kind of a "need I say more?" type of moment.
You've heard it all before about the 1984 NBA Draft's #3 overall pick: Rookie of the Year, Defensive POY (1988), 6 rings, 6 Final's MVP's, 5 regular season MVP's, 14 time all-star.
Many have not heard the other crazy accolades: 9 time NBA All-Defense First Team selection, the 1984 Wooden, Naismith, and Rupp award winner, the 5'11 Jordan that was cut from his Laney's varsity squad.
Always motivated by others to be more than what they thought he was, Michael Jordan played the game of basketball with such a passion and pride, it would eventually turn him into the one of the greatest, if not the greatest player of all time.
He averaged a triple-double his senior year at Laney, hit the game-winning shot against Georgetown in the National Championship game as a freshman, also winning an Olympic gold medal while at UNC. In the NBA, he became a prolific scorer, defensive player, the center of the best basketball team ever assembled, a walking NBA title monopoly, and then the royalty of the NBA.
Sam Bowie did not.
Anyone that knows basketball and Michael Jordan knows that MJ couldn't have done it without Phil, Scottie, and Tex (in no particular order). Without them, he couldn't have become such an icon for so many different people around the globe. Michael Jordan has been bigger than the NBA. He single-handedly catapulted the league to super-stardom mode.
Sam Bowie did not.
People say the NBA should retire his number, 23. People say he should have had his own special HOF induction ceremony.
Yeah, he probably deserves it, but that's just too much.
In my eyes, the "Air Jordan" logo will always be more associated with basketball than Jerry West's. Thank you Michael Jordan for everything you have ever done for the game of basketball, especially revolutionizing short length.
I now leave you with my favorite all-time MJ moment:
If you don't know what this was, than you probably shouldn't have wasted your time reading this article.
-GonZo
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