@Regrann from @michaeljeffreyjordan23 - Michael Jordan meant more to basketball than six rings. MJ was a global phenomenon because he won them with grace and style. Basketball had long been a big man's game. This was even true in Jordan's era. During the 1994-95 season that MJ missed, the top five players in PER were all frontcourt players David Robinson, Shaquille O'Neal, Hakeem Olajuwon, Charles Barkley, Karl Malone. MJ play in direct stylistic contrast to a league that was predicated on pounding down low, and the fans loved him for it. MJ accomplished this with superior athleticism, but also superior technique. From a standstill, he would often toy with his opponents, feinting with his pivot foot like a confident swordsman. His planted foot was attached to the floor, making it easier for him to explode away from his defender at just the right moment. He will be remembered as the man who could fly, but dunking was not his signature. No, MJ was a layup artist of the highest order, someone who could turn hang time into dazzling 360-degree floaters through traffic. His style extended beyond the court as he became an international icon. He was so influential that his imprint remained as strong today as it ever did. MJ played before Internet overanalysis, but retiring in 1993 to play baseball captivated the nation. Not only was the move bold, but it was illustrative of how much Jordan had dominated the game prior to retirement. After three consecutive MVPs and titles (and an Olympic gold medal), Jordan could plausibly have been bored with the sport he'd conquered. There was simply nobody better, and there was no realistic challenger to Chicago's throne. Regardless of motivation, the news was met with a funeral's Solemnity. At age 54, Michael Jordan is remembered as basketball's greatest player ever. He's the man who represented a cultural shift from the '80s to the '90s, from the Cold War to globalization. #MJMondays #NBAPlayoffs #ThisIsWhyWePlay
