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There are very few retired athletes whose legacies should be honored whenever possible. Michael Jordan is perhaps the only such individual whose birthday always prompts us to dwell upon his greatness.
February 17, 2014, marks Jordan's 51st birthday, and it also gives us ample reason to compile the ultimate birthday tribute to "His Airness."
From remarkable performances and dunks to captivating stories and off-court entertainment, this slideshow features the best of MJ. The manner in which he impacted the game of basketball and sports culture in general is worthy of our reverence.
Happy 51st, Mike. You're always a joy to celebrate. Begin Slideshow "
STEPHAN SAVOIA/Associated Press
Let's kick things off by reflecting upon Jordan's career resume and his extensive list of accomplishments:
Six-time NBA champion with the Chicago Bulls (1991-93, 1996-98) Six-time NBA Finals MVP (1991-93, 1996-98) Five-time NBA MVP (1988, 1991-92, 1996, 1998) 14-time NBA All-Star (1985-93, 1996-98, 2002-03) 10-time All-NBA First Team (1987-93, 1996-98) Nine-time All-NBA Defensive First Team (1988-93, 1996-98) NBA Defensive Player of the Year (1988) 10-time NBA scoring champion (1987-93, 1996-98) NBA Rookie of the Year (1985) NCAA champion with North Carolina (1982) Consensus National Player of the Year (1984) No. 23 retired by both the Chicago Bulls and North Carolina
His career averages in the NBA are as follows, per Basketball-Reference: 30.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 2.3 steals per game, plus 49.7 percent field-goal shooting and 83.5 percent free-throw shooting.
When studying Jordan's illustrious career resume, specifically his statistics, there are a handful of items worthy of note:
His rookie numbers were astounding: 28.2 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 5.9 APG and 2.4 SPG. From the moment Jordan hit the NBA scene, his remarkable abilities were on display.His best all-around statistical season was likely 1988-89, when he tallied 32.5 points, 8.0 assists, 8.0 rebounds and 2.9 steals per game while shooting 53.8 percent from the field. While LeBron James has had some statistical seasons that approach this, he has never had one as eye-popping across the board.Jordan's playoff averages are even better than his career numbers: 33.4 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 5.7 APG and 2.1 SPG. MJ rose to the occasion time and time again.He really only had 11 healthy and legitimate seasons in the league. He missed 64 games in 1985-86 due to a broken bone in his left foot, his stint pursuing professional baseball wiped out all of 1993-94 and the majority of 1994-95, and he then retired at the age of 34 after winning his sixth ring. (No, the two years with the Washington Wizards after being out of the game for three seasons do not count, although he did still average over 20 PPG.) With this in view, it's crazy to think about how much more impressive Jordan's already wondrous career resume could look. He could've had a couple more championships and perhaps another MVP or two if he'd played 15 quality seasons.
From his 69-point outburst in 1990 to the "The Flu Game" (or the "Food Poisoning" game) during the 1997 finals, there are numerous choices available when considering Jordan's greatest overall game. He recorded a plethora of dazzling performances.
The "best individual game" label is ultimately stamped on his 63-point showing in the first round of the 1986 playoffs in his second season. This came after he had returned from a foot injury, but he showed no signs of rust in this matchup against the Boston Celtics.
Critics of this can point to the fact that the Bulls lost the game. Boston, led by the legendary Larry Bird and four other players who also landed in the Hall of Fame (Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, Dennis Johnson and Bill Walton), won the double-overtime shootout 135-131.
This Boston bunch was one of the greatest squads in NBA history. The Celtics went 67-15 before rolling through the postseason and winning the championship. They only lost three games during the entire playoffs.
Therefore, Jordan's performance here shouldn't be minimized because he lost, but rather should be praised because it came in a playoff game against one of the greatest teams ever.
Jordan finished the evening with 63 points (22-of-41 from the field, 19-of-21 from the free-throw line), six assists, five rebounds, three steals and two blocks. It's especially mind-boggling to consider how he notched so many points without even attempting a three.
Check out Jordan's highlights from this unforgettable game at the Boston Garden, which featured Jordan's famous dribbling between the legs of Bird before splashing a mid-range jumper.
Martha Irvine/Associated Press
This quote nails Michael Jordan's mentality: "I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can't accept not trying."
Jordan delivered noteworthy sayings on a regular basis. Here are some other influential quotes, courtesy of BrainyQuote.com:
"If you're trying to achieve, there will be roadblocks. I've had them; everybody has had them. But obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it." "Always turn a negative situation into a positive situation." "I never looked at the consequences of missing a big shot. ... When you think about the consequences you always think of a negative result." "Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen." "There is no 'i' in team but there is in win."
Jordan has appeared regularly in commercials, endorsing anything from shoes to underwear. His Hanes commercials continue to be a hit.
Whether the ads are humorous in spirit or more motivational, Jordan is a marketable figure. The motivational ones are especially memorable because of how moving MJ's words can be in a mere 30 seconds.
Case in point: His "failure" commercial is more than intriguing. It's inspiring. His words here ring true for any athlete.
Jordan exemplified how success via athletics comes through many failures, demonstrating how his mental toughness was arguably his greatest attribute.
The aura of MJ stretched off the court into a myriad of endeavors, one of which was the classic movie Space Jam.
The movie was a box-office success with a fantastic cast of characters, including Wayne Knight, Bill Murray, Larry Bird, Charles Barkley and all the fabulous Looney Tunes characters.
The plot was compelling, as Jordan and the Tune Squad got the best of the fearsome Monstars.
What's more, the soundtrack was also a thrill, featuring the hit "I Believe I Can Fly" by R. Kelly. The "Space Jam" theme as well as "Hit 'Em High (The Monstars' Anthem)" were also quite catchy. And don't forget about that goofy song entitled "Buggin'" by Bugs Bunny.
Years later, Space Jam is still remembered, as NBA 2K14 now enables users to play with the Tune Squad and Monstars (see the above video).
This paints the picture of Space Jam's popularity, and it all points back to the prestige of Air Jordan.
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