Michael Jordan’s run through the 1990s solidified his place in NBA history. As a 14x All-Star, 10x Scoring Champ, 5x MVP, and 6x Champion, he has accomplished more than most players could dream of and his impact on the sport is unmatched.
Speaking on ‘The Steam Room’ podcast, basketball legend Charles Barkley had a lot to say about his former competitor, crediting him with taking the NBA to a “whole other level.”
“I always tell people, Michael Jordan is the reason we’re all making this money. It started with Magic Johnson, Larry Bird. These two guys, I’ve always said, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird saved NBA,” Barkley said on the podcast. “When Magic and Bird came in, things started to change. Then Michael took it to a whole other level.”
Jordan dominated in more ways than one. On the court, he was absolutely unstoppable, scoring at will while intimidating his opponents game in and game out. He could do it all and he did it better than anyone else.
Off the court, he grew his fame to unprecedented levels due to his electric and confident personality. He knew how he was, never backed down from anyone, and commanded any room he walked into. Even today, he carries himself with a unique and powerful aura.
“I met him at the Durham Classic… I was shaking… Nah, I shook his hand, he was talking to us,” said Jamal Murray, “when you know somebody from afar and you know certain things about him and it’s crazy how the media can portray a picture of you before you can even meet the person. I got to meet and I was like geez, it’s so much different than how I thought. His eyes are so dark and you can see the competitiveness in them… It’s the first time I have been starstruck like that.”
Magic Johnson and Larry Bird arrived at the NBA’s darkest hour, and it was their play and rivalry that helped ignite new interest in the league.
But MJ just took it a step further. As the face of basketball, an almost mythical figure, Michael Jordan might be considered the most famous American of the 1990s.
Whatever the case, the impression he left behind stands strong today and nobody will be forgetting his miraculous run anytime soon.
