Nov
1
Chicago Bulls Retire Michael Jordan’s Jersey, Erect a Statue in His Honor
by Chris Maynard, chris@hoops4thesoul.com
On this day in basketball history in 1994, the Chicago Bulls retired Michael Jordan’s famous #23 at the United Center and then unveiled a statue in his honor outside of the stadium.
The sculpture contained an inscription describing Jordan as “The Best There Ever Was. The Best There Ever Will Be.” If that’s not the understatement of a lifetime, then what is?
Before Michael Jordan, it was a universally-shared belief that you could only win championships with a dominant big man. Six titles later, Jordan officially turned that notion, at least in this case, on its head.
Jordan not only elevated the NBA to its greatest heights but also forever changed the way that basketball and professional sports in general were to be marketed. There was only Jordan, and despite NBA Commissioner David Stern’s and ESPN’s attempts to push the “Next MJ,” the league and world will never see a player like him again.
Sorry Lebron James.
Sorry Dwyane Wade.
Sorry Harold “Baby Jordan” Miner.
When Jordan retired the second time in his career and the Chicago Bulls were broken up shortly after January 1999, it was amazing to see the contracts that former teammates like Steve Kerr, Luc Longley and Jud Buechler were given by the San Antonio Spurs, Phoenix Suns and Detroit Pistons, respectively.
Jordan transcended the game that he made each and every one of his teammates better and richer. Players nowadays should bow down to Jordan for what he did to the world of sports marketing and how much money he’s made them in endorsement deals!
From the perspective of a basketball purist who grew up in Chicago during the Bulls six title runs, the appreciation for Michael Jordan the basketball player will never die. If it weren’t for MJ, who knows if this observer would still be such a die-hard basketball, especially considering the current style of play in the NBA!
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Chicago Bulls Retire Michael Jordan’s Jersey, Erect a Statue in His Honor
