There are great basketball players. There are legends. And then there is Michael Jeffrey Jordan. Coming in at number two on my list of the 10 greatest NBA players of all time is the man who became bigger than basketball itself.
Michael Jordan wasn’t just dominant. He was spectacular. He played the game with a combination of athleticism, skill, defense, competitiveness and grace that made it seem like gravity simply didn’t apply to him. They called him Air Jordan for a reason.
Before the Championships
Jordan entered the NBA in 1984 as the third overall pick of the Chicago Bulls and immediately looked different. He won Rookie of the Year and quickly developed into the most devastating scorer in basketball. By his third season, Jordan was averaging an absurd 37.1 points per game.
But scoring was only part of what made him special. In 1987-88, Jordan produced one of the greatest individual seasons the league has ever seen, averaging 35.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 3.2 steals and 1.6 blocks per game while shooting 53.5% from the field.
He won both MVP and Defensive Player of the Year in the same season. Think about that: the best offensive player in basketball was simultaneously being recognized as its best defensive player. Jordan wasn’t waiting for championships to become great. He was already one of the most complete players the sport had ever seen.
The Man Who Could Fly
Numbers can explain Michael Jordan’s greatness, but they can’t completely explain the experience of watching him. Jordan attacked the basket as if he could stay in the air longer than everyone else. The dunks, reverse layups, midair adjustments and hang time made him unlike anything else on the court.
Basketball had seen incredible athletes before Michael Jordan, but Jordan turned athleticism into art. And as his career progressed, his game evolved. When defenders tried taking away the rim, Jordan developed one of the deadliest midrange games ever. His turnaround fadeaway became nearly impossible to defend.
He could beat you with explosiveness when he was younger and footwork when he got older. There was seemingly always another answer.
Finally, a Champion
For years, Jordan dominated individually without winning the championship. Then came 1991. The Bulls broke through, and Jordan finally reached the NBA Finals, where Chicago faced Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers.
After losing Game 1, the Bulls won four straight games to capture the franchise’s first NBA championship. Jordan had arrived at the top, and he wasn’t leaving anytime soon.
Chicago won again in 1992 and again in 1993. Three straight championships.
Jordan stepped away from basketball before eventually returning, and somehow the story became even more ridiculous. The Bulls won another championship in 1996, then 1997, then 1998. Another three-peat.
Jordan finished his Bulls career 6-0 in the NBA Finals with six Finals MVP awards. When Chicago reached the Finals with Michael Jordan, the season ended with Jordan holding the trophy. Every single time.
A Resume That Barely Looks Real
By the end of his career, Jordan had accumulated:
- 6 NBA championships
- 6 Finals MVPs
- 5 regular-season MVPs
- 10 scoring titles
- 1 Defensive Player of the Year
- 9 All-Defensive First Team selections
- 10 All-NBA First Team selections
- 14 All-Star selections
- 30.1 career points per game
He retired with the highest career regular-season scoring average in NBA history. And despite being remembered primarily for scoring, Jordan’s defensive résumé is better than that of many players remembered specifically for defense.
That combination is what separates him.
The Competitor
Jordan’s greatest attribute may not have been his jumping ability, scoring touch or defense. It may have been his mentality. Everything became competition. Every opponent represented another challenge, and every perceived slight became motivation.
That mentality produced some of basketball’s most memorable moments: The Shot. The shrug. The Flu Game. The final shot against Utah. When the moment became bigger, Jordan somehow seemed to become more comfortable.
Bigger Than Basketball
Jordan’s influence also stretched far beyond an NBA court. Air Jordan became a global brand. His shoes became part of popular culture. His highlights traveled around the world, and kids who had never stepped inside Chicago Stadium wanted to wear number 23.
He helped transform an NBA superstar into a global cultural icon. There are players whose statistics survive generations. Jordan’s image survived with them.
The silhouette in the air. The tongue out. Number 23. The sneakers. You don’t even need to see his face to know exactly who it is.
Why Michael Jordan Is #2
For millions of basketball fans, Michael Jordan is the greatest player who ever lived, and I understand the argument. Six championships. Six Finals MVPs. Five MVPs. Ten scoring titles. Elite defense. Iconic moments. Two separate three-peats. There isn’t much missing.
But on my list, there is one player I place slightly above him.
That doesn’t diminish Jordan. Michael Jordan remains one of the closest things basketball has ever produced to the perfect superstar: an unstoppable scorer, an elite defender, a relentless competitor, a champion and an athlete who helped change the sport forever.
Before Michael Jordan, basketball already had legends. After Michael Jordan, every superstar was measured against him.
Michael Jeffrey Jordan wasn’t simply Air Jordan. He was the man who could fly.
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