On the court, Michael Jordan appeared superhuman.
As he launched himself over and around opponents, gravity had no hold on him. He could seemingly fly. He became known for his floating, acrobatic moves through bigger players and for his thunderous slam-dunks. Every time he touched the ball, fans expected him to do something unbelievable. So many times, he did just that.
Most of you have never seen Michael Jordan on the basketball court, but you all probably know he was one of the greatest to ever play the game. Even the greatest players of past and present point to Jordan with awe and reverence. It is not simply because of his basketball skills that you know of Michael Jordan nearly 15 years after his retirement but also because of his lasting impact off the court.
However, Jordan’s career and worldwide legacy almost never happened. He nearly quit basketball when he didn’t make the varsity team his sophomore year. Instead, this rejection drove Jordan to work harder. He vowed never to be left off the team again.
In 1981, Jordan began his college basketball career at the University of North Carolina. Jordan had been the best player on his high school team. But everyone at this prestigious basketball school had also been the best player on his own team including many teammates who had already been named collegiate All-Americans. This only drove Jordan to push himself to even greater heights. In just his freshman year, Jordan hit the game-winning shot to secure the National Championship in the spring of the 1982 season. Throughout his basketball career, whether high school, collegiately or professionally, Jordan never shied away from taking the big shot.
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