27-Year-Old Cover Of Sports Illustrated Shows A Huge Statement About Chicago Bulls And The Rest Of The NBA

The Chicago Bulls and Michael Jordan were given a special Sports Illustrated cover story in March 1997.

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Credit: Fadeaway World

The Chicago Bulls in the 1990s enjoyed a run of dominance that the game of basketball will likely never see again. Michael Jordan led the franchise to six titles between 1991 to 1998, losing only one playoff series with Jordan in that span. In March 1997, Sports Illustrated featured Jordan and the Bulls on the cover with a story wondering if they were so good that it was hurting the NBA.

The cover features a gigantic Jordan playing a game of keep-away with other stars around the NBA such as Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, Grant Hill, Patrick Ewing, and Gary Payton. 

Michael Jordan Chicago Bulls

The cover with the accompanying story came out in March 1997, three months before Jordan and the Bulls would win their fifth championship together. They were coming off the historic 1995-96 season where the team went 72-10 in the regular season before winning it all in the Finals. They were a cut above the entire NBA and nobody could stop them.

The main tenet of the story comes from a Danny Ainge quote where he theorized that the NBA would be better after the Bulls break up because more teams in the NBA would be incentivized to compete.

“It’ll be better when the Bulls break up. More teams will feel they have a chance to win it all.”

Unfortunately for Ainge, Jordan and the Bulls didn’t break up immediately after the story. After winning the 1997 Finals, Jordan along with Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, Steve Kerr, Luc Longley, Ron Harper, Toni Kukoc, and more accomplished a historic second three-peat by winning the 1998 Finals.


Michael Jordan And Phil Jackson Shared Their Philosophy On Harmony And Success

This story features quotes from the focal point of the Bulls at the time, Michael Jordan and head coach Phil Jackson. Jordan discussed with Sports Illustrated how the players and staff manage their success and fame.

“Every facet of our team has its own little support group. You have Phil’s Zen followers. Dennis has his followers. I have mine, and Scottie has his. Even Jud [Buechler] has his. Winning brings more attention, but it has to do with the personalities.”

Jackson revolutionized NBA coaching by implementing a system that not only gave his team structure but also the opportunity for his extremely talented superstars to improvise if the situation demanded for it. The story contains a quote where Cavaliers point guard Terrell Brandon says that there is the same amount of play-calling in the NBA as in the NFL, a truly laughable notion nowadays.

Jackson gave a perspective on coaching which is the NBA norm today but was groundbreaking in the ’90s.

“There’s a reason there’s so much coach control today. When you have young, inexperienced teams, you have situations in which coaches are afraid to let the players play. There are more talented, skilled players than ever. But that doesn’t necessarily add up to better teams.”

The story is a great capsule showing how the league was perceived by writers, players, and fans in the 1990s. The success and popularity of Jordan and the Bulls transformed the sport. Players, coaches, and managers were aware of the rare status the franchise had earned. No team has replicated that success or aura since and we may never see one do it again.

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Ishaan Bhattacharya is a content manager for Fadeaway World from New Delhi, India. With his expertise in NBA content creation, Ishaan brings a wealth of experience to his role, contributing to the site's authority and reach within the basketball community. Over the last year, Ishaan has interviewed Ray Allen and Mark Tatum, while also covering the 2023 NBA Abu Dhabi Games which saw the Dallas Mavericks take on the Minnesota Timberwolves.Since joining Fadeaway World in March 2022, Ishaan Bhattacharya has become known for his unique perspective on the NBA. He consistently delivers this insight through his daily news coverage and detailed opinion pieces on the most significant topics in the league.Before his tenure at Fadeaway World, Ishaan worked in corporate communications, where he serviced prominent sports brands, including NBA India, Sports18, Amazon Prime Sports, and Royal Challengers Bangalore. This experience in strategic communications for leading sports entities has enhanced his ability to craft impactful narratives and connect with a global audience.A true MFFLer (Mavs Fan for Life, for the uninitiated), Ishaan is a massive fan of the Dallas Mavericks. When he is not upset about Jalen Brunson walking in free agency, you can see Ishaan as an avid gamer and content creator. His passion for basketball extends beyond the Mavericks, as evidenced by his thoughtfully curated NBA Mount Rushmore, featuring LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Bill Russell—each representing distinct eras and bringing their unique qualities to the game.Featured On: ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Bleacher ReportYahoo Sports, NBA, Fox Sports, The Spun
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