As time goes on, we will eventually run out of words to describe Michael Jordan. ‘Once in a generation’ doesn’t seem apt enough when describing Jordan, as he may truly go down as a ‘once ever’ athlete. Because of this, Jordan, along with Bill Russell and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar were included in Sports Illustrated’s Athletes of the Century.
Jordan could truly do it all. Whether it was shooting the ball from mid-range, or taking it to the hole for a dunk, MJ specialized in practically everything when he was on the court. MJ’s collection of fakes is truly something to behold because he did it arguably better than anyone ever.
And for the longest time, he need to be the best at everything for the Bulls, because no one could help him out. That all changed when Scottie Pippen came into his own as a superstar. But even when Pippen was there to help Jordan, MJ didn’t compromise on his own greatness.
If anything, his talent seemed to be elevated when Pippen took the next step in his career. Jordan was able to win 3 NBA championships with Scottie Pippen as the only All-Star teammate.
It seemed as though no one could stop Jordan when he took the ball with the intention of going to the hoop. But Jordan not only had great success when he went to the rim, he also did with a finesse that hasn’t since been seen.
Michael Jordan was a master of adjusting his body in mid-air. Because MJ was incredibly efficient near the hoop, defenders would focus their entire energy to stop him. But MJ was always a step ahead, adjusting his body to get past the defenders in a way that shouldn’t even be possible.
Jordan earned the nickname ‘His Airness’ because he spent too much of his time on the court in the air. This is especially true when MJ took the ball to the hole. And more often than not, the ball would end up in the hoop when Jordan took flight.
Watching Jordan in his peak one thing becomes absolutely clear; the only person who could stop Michael Jordan when he went to the hoop was Michael Jordan.
