Michael Jordan - The Legend - Inducted Into Basketball Hall of Fame

Author: Min-Q Kim
Posted on: Monday September 14, 2009 at 9:00 AM
Filed under: sports, michael jordan, exclusive

(photo: Associated Press, via LAtimes.com)

Just vis-a-vis the shot above, perhaps it is little wonder that Michael Jordan was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame on Friday, Sept. 11. Regardless, esides his many accomplishments on the court (6 NBA titles, 5 MVPs, 10 scoring titles), Jordan's high-fliying style and iconic presence changed the way basketball was played and viewed around the world. He was more than a basketball player; he was a brand. Mitchell Stephens, LA Times Magazine, January 17th, 1993:

In the mountains above Sarajevo last spring, a Serbian brigade was firing down on enemy positions. During a lull in the shelling, a Serbian soldier spotted an American reporter. Lowering his rifle, he drew the American aside and asked, "How are the Chicago Bulls doing in the NBA playoffs?" Yes, old ethnic, religious and tribal antagonisms have flared up with horrifying violence in the years following the collapse of Soviet Communism. But if we want to figure out which way the world is headed, that Serbian soldier's interest in Michael Jordan may in the end prove more significant than his hatred of the Muslims and Croats.

That article was more about the homogenizing effects of capitalist corporate globalization, but that's just it: Jordan's game and persona were a part of the world-shrinking, culture blending, globalization that happened with the onset of satellite cable television and global advertising campaigns. The bald head, baggy shorts, low socks, branded sneakers, and flashy above-the-rim game represented the modern athlete -- he looked different from all the other players -- and cosequently changed the way the NBA would market itself and its product. When I was a child, with my Jordan poster on my wall, the 'Air Jordan' sneaker commercials with Spike Lee were all-pervasive: "It's gotta be the shoes!" (and yes, I had a pair). My favorite was the famous game of H-O-R-S-E he did with Larry Bird: "Nothin but net." And, of course, everyone wanted to 'Be Like Mike.'

The NBA hasn't been the same since Jordan left - a bit like King Lear trying to divvy up his kingdom among his underlings.

(Photo: via NowPublic.com)

Jordan's 'Jumpman' logo and Air Jordan sneaker line is as recognizable as any modern corporate symbol. To borrow a turn of phrase, Michael Jordan is not a businessman; he's a business, man.

(Photo via Freshnessmag.com)

For a sappy, self-promotional, but no less effective, look back on his career, check out this video:

Career Highlights - they do not include his 2 Olympic gold medals or the 1982 NCAA Championship he won at UNC (he hit the game-winning shot in the championship game as a freshman).

Five-time NBA Most Valuable Player (1987-88, 1990-91, 1991-92, 1995-96, 1997-98)
Ten-time All-NBA First Team selection (1986-87 to 1992-93, 1995-96 to 1997-98)
Selected in 1996 as one of the "50 Greatest Players in NBA History"
A member of six Chicago Bulls NBA championship teams (1990-91, 1991-92, 1992-93, 1995-96, 1996-97 and 1997-98)
Six-time NBA Finals Most Valuable Player
The 1987-88 NBA Defensive Player of the Year and record nine-time NBA All-Defensive First Team selection (1987-88 to 1992-93, 1995-96 to 1997-98)
Entering 2002-03, ranked first in NBA history in scoring average (31.0 ppg), second in steals (2,391), fourth in points (30,652) and in field-goals made (11,513), fifth in free-throws made (7,061), sixth in field-goals attempted (23,010) and eighth in free-throws attempted (8,448)
Closed the 1997-98 season as the Bulls' all-time franchise leader in points, rebounds (5,836), assists (5,012), steals, games (930), field-goals made and attempted and free-throws made and attempted (8,115)
Holds the NBA record for most seasons leading the league in scoring (10)
Shares the NBA record with Wilt Chamberlain for most consecutive seasons leading the league in scoring (seven, 1986-87 to 1992-93)
Holds the NBA record for most consecutive games scoring in double-digits (842)
Holds the NBA record for most seasons leading the league in field-goals made (10) and attempted (10)
Led the NBA in steals in 1987-88 (3.16 spg), 1989-90 (2.77 spg) and 1992-93 (2.83 spg)
Holds the NBA single-game records for most free-throws made in one half (20 against the Miami Heat on 12/30/92) and most most free-throws attempted in one half (23 in the same game)
Selected to 14 NBA All-Star Games
Named the MVP of the 1988, 1996 and 1998 NBA All-Star Games
(Source: NBA.com)