Michael Jordan: Legends in Sports

by Matt Christopher

  Michael defused the situation before it got out of control. He explained to the media that the Bulls knew he was going to miss the visit to the White House and had given him permission. Then, when training camp opened, he met with Horace Grant. The two players settled their differences. With the season ready to start, Michael wanted to make sure the Bulls focused fully on basketball.

  For a while, they did. When the season opened, the Bulls played better than ever. In November, they ran off a franchise-record 14-game winning streak.

  Then came the news that shocked and saddened everyone in the NBA, including Michael. In a televised press conference, his friend Laker guard Magic Johnson announced that he was retiring from the NBA. He was infected with the HIV virus, which causes AIDS, and needed to concentrate on his health.

  At the same time, Celtic forward Larry Bird was sidelined with a back injury and talking of retirement himself. The torch was being passed to Michael Jordan. He was now without question the best player in the game.

  Throughout the 1991–92 season, he proved it was a title he deserved. By midseason, the Bulls were 37–5 and on pace to break the league record of 69 wins set by the Lakers in the 1971–72 season.

  But the Bulls slumped in the second half. The pressure of being the defending NBA champs was getting to everyone. In February, at the end of a triple-overtime loss to Utah, a frustrated Michael even got into an argument with a referee and was suspended for a game.

  Then Michael found himself in more serious trouble. A newspaper reported that the Bulls’ star player had bet and lost thousands of dollars while playing golf and poker. In most states, gambling is illegal. Technically, Michael Jordan had broken the law. To make matters worse, some of the men he had gambled with had criminal records.

  Professional sports are very sensitive to gambling. Teams don’t want anyone to think that players aren’t playing to win. While no one charged that Michael had bet on basketball, the revelations tarnished his image.

  In a statement to the press, Michael explained: “At some point in my life, I was going to have to face this. Very few people go through their lifetimes without scars. I went through a six-, seven-year period without them. Now I have a couple of scars. The scars won’t go away, but you know I’m going to be a better person because of them.”

  The NBA determined that Michael had broken no league rules but warned him to pay closer attention to who his friends were. In time, he was able to put the incident behind him.

  The Bulls stormed through the remainder of the season and went on to win the Central Division, finishing 67–15, ten games ahead of second-place Cleveland. Once again, Michael Jordan led the league in scoring with an average of 30.1 points per game and was named league MVP for the third time.

  Michael Jordan plays on his high school team, the Laney Buccaneers. He wears number 23, the same number he will wear later as a member of the University of North Carolina Tar Heels and the Chicago Bulls

  With his soon-to-be-signature expression, North Carolina Tar Heel guard Michael Jordan drives down the court.

  Michael Jordan hangs from the hoop after a tremendous slam dunk.

  Michael poses with the 1989 “Top Vote Getter” award just before the NBA All-Star game. He received more than one million votes!

  Air Jordan flies again!

  An emotional Michael Jordan cradles the 1991 NBA championship trophy.

  In 1994, Michael Jordan left basketball to try a new career in baseball. Here, he slugs an RBI double for his minor league team, the Birmingham Barons.

  “His Airness” flies again—but upon his return to basketball in 1995, following a year in baseball, he sported number 45 rather than his signature number 23.

  Jordan aims, shoots, and scores the winning basket to give the Bulls their third straight NBA title in 1998.

  Jordan, the series MVP, jumps in celebration after his 1998 title-winning shot drops through the hoop.

  Michael Jordan waves farewell as he walks off the court one final time after his last NBA game on April 16, 2003.

  Two of the most recognizable people in the world of sport, Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods, are all smiles during the Wachovia pro-am tournament in 2007.

  The Bulls entered the playoffs knowing they faced their toughest challenge yet. While the Pistons, Lakers, and Celtics were not the tough teams they had once been, the New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Portland Trail Blazers were all much improved and had their sights set on an NBA title.

  After defeating the Miami Heat in three straight games in the opening round, the Bulls were tested in round two against the Knicks. Like the Pistons a few years before, the Knicks were known as the roughest and toughest defensive team in the league. They gave the Bulls all they could handle. Entering game seven, the series was tied.

  Michael Jordan led the way. In the first quarter, he exploded for 18 points, and the Bulls opened up a big lead. The Knicks never recovered. Michael finished with 42, and the Bulls won in a rout, 110–81. The Bulls were one step closer to their goal.

  Next up were the Cleveland Cavaliers. A good team, the Cavs put up a monumental fight, but in the end, the Bulls dispatched them in six tough games to win the Eastern Conference. The Bulls moved on to face the Portland Trail Blazers in the finals.

  Trail Blazer fans saw the series as a showdown between Michael Jordan and Portland star Clyde Drexler. Next to Michael, Drexler was probably the most exciting player in the league. While he wasn’t quite as big as Michael, Portland fans thought that Drexler had a better jump shot and was more dangerous from the outside.

  In the first game, in Chicago, Michael showed Trail Blazer fans who had a good outside shot. On his way to 35 first-half points, he made six of nine three-pointers, including a remarkable five in a row. The Bulls won big, 122–89.

  But the Trail Blazers weren’t finished. In game two, they fought back to tie the score at the end of regulation play, then snuck out of Chicago Stadium with a 115–104 win in overtime.

  The two teams then traveled to Portland. The Bulls played great team defense and won by ten, holding the Trail Blazers to only 84 points. In game four, Portland bounced back again, however, and knotted the series at two games apiece.

  Now the Bulls were the team with championship experience. It showed. Instead of turning to Michael Jordan to do everything, Chicago clamped down on defense and made sure everyone was involved in the offense. They easily beat Portland 112–89, in game five. The Bulls returned triumphantly to Chicago with a chance to win it all.

  Bulls fans looked forward to seeing their team win an NBA championship on their home court. From the opening tip-off, they were on their feet cheering.

  Portland hung close, but the Bulls would not be denied. When the final buzzer sounded, the scoreboard read HOME 97, VISITORS 93. The Bulls were champions again!

  The fans stood on their feet and cheered as Michael and his teammates danced with joy on the court at Chicago Stadium. Michael was again named playoff MVP and became the first player ever to win the MVP award in consecutive seasons for both the regular season and the playoffs.

  “Come next June you’ll probably be expecting a third from me,” he told the media after the game, “but for now this championship proves the first one was no fluke.” In reference to his earlier troubles, he then added: “This season has been a learning experience for me. I’m a better person for everything that has happened.”

  That was bad news for the other teams in the NBA. If there was anything they didn’t need, it was for Michael Jordan to get any better than he already was.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  1992–1993

  The “Dream Team” and Beyond

  After such a grueling season, no one would have blamed Michael Jordan if he had taken the summer off. But he didn’t. For the second time in his basketball career, he joined the United States Olympic basketball team.

  In 1992, for the first time ever, professional athletes were allowed to compete in the Olympics. Playing with
a team of collegians in 1988, the United States had lost to the Soviet Union. Determined to avenge the 1988 loss, they created a “Dream Team” made up of the best players in the NBA, plus one college player.

  Magic Johnson came out of retirement to play on the team, and Larry Bird decided to join him. Utah forward Karl Malone and point guard John Stockton agreed to play, as did centers Patrick Ewing of the Knicks and Davis Robinson of the Spurs, forward Chris Mullin of the Golden State Warriors, Clyde Drexler of the Trail Blazers, and Charles Barkley of the Phoenix Suns. Even Michael Jordan’s teammate Scottie Pippen agreed to play. Christian Laettner of Duke represented the NCAA.

  At first, Michael was unsure whether or not to play. He was tired, and he wanted to spend time with his family. Then Michael realized that the 1992 Olympics gave him a unique opportunity. He would have a chance to win a second Olympic gold medal, something very few athletes have been able to do. He would also have the chance to be a teammate of players like Bird and Magic. As opponents, each had pushed the others to play their very best. All-Star games gave them a chance to play together, but as Olympians, they’d all be reaching for the same goal.

  Before the Olympics even began, the U.S. team had to qualify in a pre-Olympic tournament. In the very first game, Michael made the play of the tournament. As a ball bounced free at the sidelines near midcourt, he raced to save it. He leaped out of bounds, caught the ball, and fired a behind-the-back pass to a wide-open Larry Bird under the basket! Only then did he crash-land into the stands.

  Despite the fact that Bird missed more of the tournament with a sore back and guard John Stockton broke a bone in his hand, the United States swept to five straight victories, winning by an average of more than 50 points. They were more than ready to face the best the world had to offer.

  The Olympics were held in Barcelona, Spain, in late July and early August. From the moment the Dream Team arrived, its members were the most popular athletes at the Olympics. Off the court, athletes from all over the world swarmed the NBA stars at every opportunity. No one was more popular than Michael Jordan. The games were broadcast around the globe, soon making Michael Jordan the most recognizable athlete in the world.

  On the court, the Dream Team was unstoppable. In most games, they opened up a huge early lead and spent much of the rest of the game entertaining the crowd with a dizzying variety of astounding plays. Sometimes, even their opponents just stopped and watched in amazement.

  On the best team in the world, Michael Jordan was the best player. Because the team had so much firepower, Michael spent most of the tournament passing the ball, rebounding, and playing defense. He helped make sure everyone was involved in the offense.

  The Dream Team won all eight games it played, crushing Croatia 117–85 in the finals to win the gold medal. In that game, Michael led the United States in scoring, going 10–16 from the field to finish with 21 points. For the second time in as many tries, a gold medal hung around Michael Jordan’s neck.

  As satisfying as that accomplishment was, when the Olympics were over, both Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen were exhausted. They had gone right from the NBA Finals straight to the Olympics, so it seemed as if their basketball season had never ended. Now, only a few weeks after the Olympics, it was time to begin working toward another NBA championship.

  Everyone was wondering whether or not Michael Jordan and the Bulls could “three-peat” — win the championship for the third time in a row. Not even Magic Johnson’s Lakers or Larry Bird’s Celtics had been able to accomplish that. In fact, no NBA team except for the Boston Celtics of the 1960s, who won 11 titles in 13 years, and the Minneapolis Lakers of the 1950s had ever won three titles in a row.

  Early in the 1992–93 season, it didn’t look as if the Bulls had much of a chance. They got off to a slow start and in January actually lost more games than they won. The Phoenix Suns and the New York Knicks were both much improved and were playing better than the Bulls. Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen were tired, Bill Cartwright’s knees were bothering him, and John Paxson was sidelined with an injury.

  But the team got its second wind in the second half of the season. The Bulls started running again and closed with a rush, winning the Central Division with a 57–25 record, third best in the league behind Phoenix and New York. Michael himself finished with a flourish and won his seventh consecutive scoring title with a 32.6 average.

  The Bulls started the playoffs playing as if they didn’t know how to lose. They beat the Atlanta Hawks and the Cleveland Cavaliers in rounds one and two without a defeat. Then the Bulls ran into a stone wall: the New York Knicks.

  The Knicks’ tough defense slowed the Bulls’ fast-breaking offense. New York center Patrick Ewing was dominant down low. Chicago lost the first two games of the series.

  Things were even worse for Michael Jordan. In game two, he played poorly, and afterward a newspaper reported that before the game he had been seen in a casino in Atlantic City until the early hours of the morning.

  The report upset Michael. While he admitted he had been at the casino, he also knew he had been back at his hotel by midnight. He did not appreciate the implication that he had not been ready to play.

  He took his anger out on the Knicks. In game three, he led Chicago to a 103–83 win. Then, in game four, he scored 54 points to tie the series at two games. Inspired, the Bulls went on to beat the Knicks in six. It had been a difficult climb up the ladder, but once again, the Bulls, led by Michael Jordan, had made it to the finals.

  Their opponents, the Phoenix Suns, had the best record in the league during the regular season. Impressive on paper, that didn’t mean much in the finals. The Bulls had Michael Jordan.

  In game one, in Phoenix, Michael scored 14 fourth-quarter points. The Bulls won, 100–92. When Chicago took game two, 111–108, the three-peat looked like a sure thing.

  But the Suns refused to give up. In game three, in Chicago, they shut down Michael and hung on for a gritty 129–121 victory in triple overtime.

  Michael didn’t like losing on his home court. In fact, he didn’t like losing at all. In game four, he responded with one of the best games of his career, hitting for 55 points and giving the Bulls a three-games-to-one lead. Afterward, Michael reminded everyone, “We’re one game away.”

  The Bulls were still one game away after game five, as the Suns bounced back to beat the Bulls, 108–98. The series went back to Phoenix.

  Game six was as tough and hard fought as any in the finals. The Bulls kept creeping ahead only to allow the Suns to draw back close. With only a few minutes left in the game, the Suns jumped out to a 98–94 lead.

  Then Michael Jordan got the ball. Every player on the court and every Suns fan in the stands knew what was going to happen, but they were powerless to stop it. Michael Jordan put the ball on the floor, drove to the basket, leaped into the air, and, twisting between two defenders, scored on a layup, bringing the Bulls to within two.

  Now Phoenix had the ball. They stalled for as long as they could but had to shoot before the 24-second clock expired. With 14 seconds left in the game, Phoenix guard Dan Majerle threw up an air ball. The Bulls had possession, down by two.

  Chicago inbounded the ball to Michael, who took it across half-court. As the defense came out to meet him, he passed the ball to Scottie Pippen on the wing. Pippen threw the ball down low to Horace Grant.

  Grant looked for Michael, but Michael was double-teamed. Grant fired a quick pass to Paxson, who set up just behind the three-point line. He jumped and shot.

  Swish! The basket was good! The Bulls had won, 99–98! THREE-PEAT!

  The Bulls had done what no NBA team since the 1960s Celtics had done. Much of the credit belonged to Michael Jordan. He had averaged 41 points in the six-game series, an NBA playoff record, and was named MVP for the third straight time. Yet after crying over his first championship and dancing after the second, Michael Jordan was more subdued and reflective this time.

  “This championship is something special,�
�� he admitted, “because it separates me from Magic and Bird. Neither ever won three straight.”

  At the end of only his eighth year in the National Basketball Association, Michael Jordan was at the top of his profession. He had just turned 30 years old, yet he had won every award imaginable and led his team to a remarkable string of championships. Basketball historians were beginning to consider Jordan’s Bulls one of the greatest teams in NBA history.

  As Michael Jordan started his first summer vacation without basketball in two years, he looked forward to getting some rest and, perhaps, setting his sights on some new goals. Life was very, very good. But, as Michael Jordan would soon learn, that could change in an instant.

  CHAPTER NINE

  1993–1994

  The News That Shocked the World

  In mid-July of 1993, Michael Jordan’s father, James, left the family home in North Carolina to visit some friends who lived several hours away. He was driving the brand-new car that Michael had given him. His son’s success had allowed him to retire, and James loved to get away by himself. He told his family he would return home in a few days.

  A few days passed, and James Jordan did not return. Deloris Jordan began to worry. She hadn’t heard from James. While it was not unusual for him to spend several days away from home without calling, as those days stretched into a week, the Jordan family became concerned.

  They called everyone they knew but couldn’t locate James. They even contacted the North Carolina State Police and asked them to keep an eye out for James and his car. The media learned that James Jordan was missing, and soon every news broadcast in the state opened with news of his disappearance.