Michael Jordan: Legends in Sports Read online

  Copyright

  Copyright © 1996 by Matt Christopher Royalties, Inc.

  Revised edition copyright © 2008 by Matt Christopher Royalties, Inc.

  All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

  Little, Brown and Company

  Hachette Book Group

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  New York, NY 10017

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  First eBook Edition: December 2009

  Matt Christopher® is a registered trademark of Matt Christopher Royalties, Inc.

  ISBN: 978-0-316-09401-6

  To my daughter, Pamela

  Contents

  Copyright

  Introduction

  Air Jordan

  Chapter One: 1963–1981

  From “the Rack” to the Tar Heels

  Chapter Two: 1981–1984

  “Mike’s a Good Player.”

  Chapter Three: 1984–1985

  Rookie of the Year

  Chapter Four: 1985–1987

  Getting “Bull”-ish on the Court

  Chapter Five: 1987–1990

  “There’s Michael Jordan and Then Everybody Else.”

  Chapter Six: 1990–1991

  Champions!

  Chapter Seven: 1991–1992

  A Couple of Scars

  Chapter Eight: 1992–1993

  The “Dream Team” and Beyond

  Chapter Nine: 1993–1994

  The News That Shocked the World

  Chapter Ten: 1994–1995

  Playing Hardball

  Chapter Eleven: 1995

  “I’m Back!”

  Chapter Twelve: 1995–2001

  One Last Shot?

  Chapter Thirteen: 2001–2003

  Jordan’s Finale

  Chapter Fourteen: 2003–2005

  Beyond Basketball

  Chapter Fifteen: 2004–2007

  Mike’s Bikes

  Chapter Sixteen: 2004–2007

  Teeing Off

  Chapter Seventeen: 2006–2007

  Back to the Court!

  Epilogue: “Like Mike”

  Michael Jordan’s Year-to-Year NBA Statistics

  The #1 Sports Series for Kids: MATT CHRISTOPHER®

  Matt Christopher®

  INTRODUCTION

  Air Jordan

  Michael Jordan defied the law of gravity.

  At least that’s what opponents, teammates, and fans claimed. From the time he first burst upon the scene as a freshman at the University of North Carolina to his final game with the Washington Wizards, he soared high above the rest. Of all the basketball players in the world, few have come close to his level of talent.

  So what was it about Michael Jordan’s play that made him so special? The answer is simple: Every time he touched the basketball, there was a good chance he would do something with it no one had ever seen done before.

  Get him the ball at the top of the key and maybe he’d launch himself from the free throw line, lift the ball high above his head, and make a thunderous jam through the hoop.

  Feed him a pass near the basket and he might leap up and seem to hang in the air as defenders tried — unsuccessfully — to knock the ball from his hand. Then, as he finally started to come down, he’d casually flip the ball underhand toward the basket, where it would kiss the glass and fall through for two more points.

  Perhaps he’d take the ball to the hoop himself — not for a simple lay-up, however. Instead, as defenders tried to stop him, he’d start on one side of the basket, jump, spin 360 degrees through the air, come out on the other side, flick the ball over his head, and catch nothing but net.

  The great plays weren’t ever the same twice. But the look after the plays became one that any basketball follower would recognize. Sweat glistening off his shaved head. Mouth wide open. Tongue curled around his lower lip. It all added up to classic Michael Jordan.

  But you’d better not blink because the whole thing would only take seconds from start to finish. Then Michael Jordan would be in motion again, a look of wild surprise upon his face as the crowd roared and his opponents rolled their eyes and shook their heads. Often, he would flash a quick smile as if to say, “How about that?” and then glance up toward his family in the stands before sprinting back up court, ready to do it all once more.

  He didn’t get the nickname Air Jordan for nothing, after all.

  But Michael Jordan wasn’t born with the ability to play basketball better than any other human being on the planet. When he first started playing, he couldn’t dribble the ball without bouncing it off his foot. His shots didn’t even make it to the basket. And dunking a basketball? That was just a dream!

  So how did Michael Jordan become so good?

  He knew people aren’t born great athletes; they make themselves great athletes. Through hard work, practice, and determination, the best athletes learn to take advantage of their physical gifts and develop them to the fullest. Great players love competition and always strive to become better.

  That is how Michael Jordan became perhaps the greatest basketball player of all time. He was blessed with tremendous physical skill, true enough, but he also worked extremely hard throughout his career to develop the talent he was born with. Each time he failed, he tried again and tried harder. Each time he succeeded, he gave himself another goal to strive toward.

  “I never felt the desire to rest on what I had accomplished,” he once said.

  Considering what he accomplished, and the indelible mark those accomplishments have left on the sport of basketball, those are powerful words. Almost as powerful as the man who said them.

  CHAPTER ONE

  1963–1981

  From “the Rack” to the Tar Heels

  Michael Jordan credits his parents, James and Deloris Jordan, with teaching him the value of hard work. Both of Michael’s parents were born on small farms in Wallace, North Carolina. Their parents — Michael’s grandparents — were sharecroppers: farmers who paid the rent on their small plots of land by sharing the crops they produced with the landowners.

  While Michael’s parents always had enough to eat, both families were poor. Sharecropping is hard work. Michael’s parents both dreamed of a better life for themselves and their future children.

  James and Deloris met in high school after attending — what else? — a basketball game. The first time they met, James told Deloris, “I’m gonna marry you someday.” A few years later, he did.

  Most fans already know that Michael Jordan grew up in North Carolina and attended the University of North Carolina before turning professional and playing for the Chicago Bulls in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Few people realize, however, that Michael Jordan was born not in North Carolina but in Brooklyn, New York.

  After he graduated from high school, James Jordan served in the air force for several years, then went to work for General Electric. The Jordan family grew quickly, and soon the young couple had three children — James Ronald, Deloris, and Larry. In 1963, James brought his young family to Brooklyn so he could attend a General Electric training school. Michael was born on February 17, 1963, while the family was living in Brooklyn.

  With four children to raise, James and Deloris worked hard to provide for their family. As soon as James completed the training course, the Jordans returned to North Carolina. A year later, Michael’s younger sister, Roslyn, was born. As soon as the children were old eno
ugh, Michael’s mother went to work in a bank to help support the family.

  When the Jordans first returned to North Carolina, they lived in a small rented house. But James Jordan wanted better for his family. He and his wife saved their money and purchased a six-and-a-half-acre plot of land in Wilmington, North Carolina. James decided to build a home for his family. He spent evenings and weekends constructing a small but comfortable brick house. Sometimes he took his children with him. The young Jordans helped their father carry bricks and mortar and learned the value of hard work firsthand. Brick by brick, they saw the result of their labor.

  James Jordan taught his children to play hard, too. When he was in high school, he had played guard on his school’s basketball team, and he loved many sports. So James encouraged his children to play sports and games of all kinds. He thought it was much safer for the boys to be playing sports than running around Wilmington looking for trouble.

  There was always some kind of game going on at the Jordan house. If James Ronald and Larry weren’t in the yard playing football or throwing a baseball back and forth, they were crowded around the kitchen table playing checkers or a board game. Deloris Jordan later told people that the only time the boys stopped competing against each other was when they ate dinner.

  Everyone in the family loved competition. When James Jordan played with his sons, he didn’t ease off and allow them to win. The boys had to earn their success on their own. As the youngest son in the Jordan household, Michael was usually on the losing end when playing against his brothers.

  At first, baseball was Michael Jordan’s favorite sport. James Jordan was a big fan and he taught Michael to throw and hit. In Little League, Michael pitched, and played shortstop and outfield. He threw several no-hitters, and his team won the championship.

  Then Larry fell in love with the game of basketball. To help his son, James Jordan built something very special in the backyard. At opposite ends of the yard, he put up two wooden backboards and two baskets. Then he gave the boys a basketball.

  In only a few days, the Jordan boys played so much they wore down the grass in the yard between the two baskets. The dirt became as hard and smooth as concrete. Although they knew it was no Chicago Stadium, the Jordan boys thought their backyard court was the best in the world. They called it “the Rack.”

  Larry and Michael spent hours each day playing one-on-one at the Rack. At first, Larry beat Michael every single time.

  While Larry gave Michael the occasional tip, he never just let his younger brother win. Michael learned quickly that he would have to earn each victory.

  Although Larry was only five foot six, he towered over young Michael. He dribbled the ball better than Michael, shot the ball over Michael’s raised arms, and jumped higher. Michael watched in wonder as his older brother soared through the air. Larry eventually became the first member of the Jordan family to dunk the basketball. But Michael was determined. He didn’t give up. Everyone in the family started calling him “Rabbit” because of the way he bounded back and forth after Larry.

  Michael spent hours at the Rack practicing shooting, dribbling back and forth, and trying to reach over his brother’s arms. Without even realizing it, he started sticking his tongue out and curling it around his lower lip as he practiced. His father did the very same thing when he was concentrating hard.

  Despite the long hours of practice, Michael still wasn’t as good as his brother. When he and Larry joined a youth basketball league, Larry was a big star. Michael was just another member of the team.

  The Jordan boys were playing for fun. Like other kids, they dreamed of becoming professional athletes, but they never really thought those dreams would come true. Homework was always more important at the Jordan house than basketball. The one sure way to get into trouble was to fall behind in school. In order to play ball, all the Jordan children had to excel in school. They loved to play so much that James and Deloris rarely had a difficult time making sure the children worked hard at school.

  By the time Michael entered D. C. Virgo Junior High School, he was a good all-around athlete. While Larry starred in the backcourt for the Laney High School Buccaneers basketball team, Michael played quarterback on the junior high football team, guard on the basketball team, and pitched and played outfield on the baseball team. Michael was a good athlete for his age, but no one was predicting greatness. Besides, Michael stood only five feet five inches tall.

  None of the Jordans was very tall. Michael’s father and his brother Larry were barely five foot six. But something happened to Michael. He just kept growing.

  By the time Michael entered high school, he stood five foot ten. During his sophomore year, he quarterbacked the junior varsity football team and ran some track. He also tried out for the varsity basketball team.

  It may seem amazing, but Michael Jordan didn’t make the team. He was cut and placed on the junior varsity. When Laney coach Clifton Herring told Michael he was putting him on the JV team, Michael’s eyes stung with disappointment. He was embarrassed and hurt. One of Michael’s best friends, also a sophomore, had made the varsity. Michael thought about quitting the game of basketball altogether.

  But he didn’t. Instead, Michael was determined to become the best player on the junior varsity team.

  Michael didn’t know it, but Coach Herring secretly thought he was good enough to play for the varsity. The coach simply wanted him to get more experience, and he would have a greater opportunity to play and improve with the JV team.

  The extra playing time helped. Over the course of the JV season, Michael became a little faster and a little quicker than most of his teammates. He jumped higher and seemed to stay in the air just a little bit longer. His jump shot became more and more accurate. In practice, his teammates couldn’t keep up with him. Neither could their junior varsity opponents.

  Michael averaged 28 points per game as point guard for the JV team. Near the end of the season, Michael hoped he would be added to the varsity squad for the state tournament.

  The varsity team had had a winning season and hoped to do well in the state basketball tournament. But when Coach Herring announced the squad, he selected one of Michael’s JV teammates, Leroy Smith, to join the team for the tournament.

  Coach Herring knew Michael hustled on the court and could score. But the varsity team needed rebounding in the tournament, not scoring. Coach Herring chose Smith because he was six foot five. Michael was disappointed again.

  The day the team was scheduled to travel to the regionals, Michael heard the team manager was ill. He wanted to be a part of the team so badly that he volunteered to take the manager’s place. He rode to the game with the team and got inside the gym carrying the equipment. While his friends played in the state tournament, Michael sat on the end of the bench in his street clothes, passing out towels and yelling words of encouragement.

  The time Michael spent as team manager wasn’t wasted. He learned from the experience and later told an interviewer, “I vowed to myself to never let that happen again.” From that moment on, Michael was determined to play. Each day that summer he played basketball in his backyard for hours on end.

  By the beginning of his junior year, all Michael’s hard work began to have an effect. It was as if the running and leaping Michael had been doing had somehow stretched out his body. The slight five-foot-ten-inch sophomore had turned into a powerful six-foot-three-inch junior. His father later said, “I think Michael just willed himself to grow.”

  The added height made Michael an imposing figure on the court. Few players his size had his speed and grace. At basketball tryouts, Michael Jordan made the varsity squad easily and was named starting point guard. In this position, Michael was expected to run the offense and do his share of scoring. His teammates would look to him to provide leadership.

  Yet when the season began, Michael Jordan struggled. He was rushing everything and forcing his play instead of allowing the game to bring opportunities to him. As a result, he was making to
o many turnovers and taking wild shots. Then, after making a mistake or two, Michael would try to do everything himself and make even more mistakes.

  By the time Christmas came around, Michael was a disappointment not only to himself but to Coach Herring and his teammates. He knew that if he didn’t start playing better soon, Coach Herring would try someone else at point guard.

  Laney was entered in a holiday basketball tournament. In the first game, Michael struggled again. Nevertheless, Laney won and reached the tournament finals against its archrival, New Hanover High School.

  The teams were evenly matched. For most of the game, neither was able to pull ahead. Michael was playing pretty well, but Laney needed someone to do something more.

  Michael Jordan became that someone. As time ran down in the fourth quarter, all the hours of practice and hard work started to pay off. Michael Jordan simply took over the game.

  He was unstoppable. When New Hanover had the ball, there was Michael, hounding the dribbler and stealing the pass. When Laney had possession, Michael’s teammates simply threw him the ball and got out of the way. They watched in awe as he slashed to the hoop, spun in the air, and put the ball in the basket over and over again. The crowd was going crazy.

  With only seconds left in the game, Laney still trailed by a point. Once more, Michael’s teammates passed him the ball. The New Hanover defense collapsed toward the basket, expecting Michael to drive to the hoop.

  Michael started to drive, but seeing the defense packed in, he pulled up and calmly launched a fifteen-foot jumper. The ball was still in the air when the buzzer sounded. The spectators held their breath.

  Swish! Two points! Laney won!

  A quick glance at the scorekeeper’s sheet showed something remarkable — Michael Jordan had scored Laney High’s last 15 points!

  From that moment, Michael was a different player. Throughout the rest of the season, whenever Laney needed something — a basket, a rebound, a pass to an open player — Michael was the player who came through.