The Last Dance
Over the last 3 weeks, Michael Jordan's name has circulated across several media platforms globally. A large part of that was the release of his highly anticipated ESPN Documentary title "The Last Dance". The Last Dance is a 10-episode documentary series on the Chicago Bulls historical championship run. The Bulls were synonymous for winning 6 titles (2 3-peats) during the 90s, making them the prominent team in all of professional sports. The Uniqueness of the Chicago Bulls has created an everlasting imprint on the culture of professional sports.
When we speak about the Chicago Bulls we can't forget of the incredible nucleus in Michael Jordan. The Last Dance is a unique representation of how iconic Michael Jordan was as a Global figure, One who revolutionized the area of professional sports setting the barometer for athletes across generations to come. With all the unprecedented success of Jordan and the Bulls, some may still make the argument about who's the top dog on Mount Rushmore. History has shown us the careers of Magic, Bird, and Jordan were influential to NBA Star Kobe Bryant. Growing up the kid from Philly watched multiple championship battles between Magic and Bird, studying MJ until he got his chance to grace the hardwood with him.
“Michael Jordan was the global cultural icon that was widely celebrated as a world hero. ”
It's safe to say that the iconic career of Michael Jordan has cultivated a unique cultural influence on basketball globally. Millions of Athletes like myself were drawn to Jordan's innate competitive drive and insurmountable will to WIN! His charismatic approach and swagger is something our culture has adopted in today's era. Below we will share some memorable moments of Jordan throughout his career.
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“Whenever they speak Michael Jordan, they should speak Scottie Pippen.”
The Shot: 1982 NCAA Finals
Before Jordan was rocking in front of millions on fans, he was Mike Jordan of Wilmington North Carolina. Jordan played for a tough the Tar Heels team from 1981-84, where he was coached by the legendary Dean Smith and Roy Williams. During his freshman campaign, Jordan was met with unique challenges that would define his as an athlete going forward. Coach Smith gave Jordan the golden opportunity on one of the biggest stages in all of sports, the 1982 NCAA Championships was a clash between a top-heavy Georgetown team led by Hall of Fame Patrick Ewing.
The atmosphere was electric and with over 60,000 spectators in attendance the set was set. The clash between the UNC Tar Heels and the Georgetown Hoyas went down to the wire, with .32 seconds left in regulation Jordan rose to the occasion and sunk the game-winning basket. North Carolina went on to defeat Georgetown 63-62 and for Jordan, this was the beginning of a new era. Under the guidance of Coach Smith Jordan emerged as one of the top college prospects and in 1984 Jordan declared for the NBA Draft.
“That turned my name from Mike Jordan to Michael Jordan. It gave me the confidence I needed to start to excel at the game of basketball. ”
CIRCA ‘82
MJ leads UNC to a NCAA Championship title defeating Georgetown 63-62.
Coming of Age
From the day MJ graced the NBA with airiness and unique presence, he took the league by storm. The Carolina native was selected third in the 1984 NBA Draft by The Chicago Bulls, that season they underachieved as a ball club missing the playoffs. By the 1986 season, MJ led the Bulls to a playoff match-up against the NBA reigning champs Boston Celtics. At this point, Larry Bird was the leagues MVP and arguably the face pf NBA. MJ saw this as the golden opportunity and barometer for his career. Game 1 of that series included an array of scoring courtesy of MJ, pouring in 49 in a 123-104 loss.
“That wasn’t Michael Jordan out there. That was God disguised as Michael Jordan. ”
MJ came back with more firepower in Game 2 and arguably put up one of the most memorable performances in NBA history setting a playoff scoring record of 63 points. Boston Garden was filled with a burst of exuberance as the game went into overtime, MJ sunk two free throws as the clock expired. Despite Jordan's scoring barrage the Celtics still captured a 135-131 win. After Game 2 the world stop and everybody knew who the top dog was. Larry Bird along with teammates were in total awe worshipping the greatness of MJ. The dawn of a new era was in existence and MJ was at the epicentre.
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To Be Continued… Vol.2
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Written & Produced by: @tgq.inc
Special Thanks @espn, @bleacherreport, @NBA