One of the greatest NBA basketball players to ever grace the courts accepted an invitation into the 2009 Hall of Fame on Monday.
Michael Jordan will be honored Sept. 10-12 at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass.
According to an article in The Chicago Tribune Jordan said, “I would never have envisioned myself at any point being in any hall of fame.”
The announcement came on the day of the men’s Final Four championship in Detroit, Mich. Jordan’s alma mater North Carolina was getting ready to play Michigan State for the national title.
He will be honored along with former greats such as David Robinson who conquered two NBA championships in 14 seasons with the Spurs, John Stockton who holds the NBA record for assists. Coaches Jerry Sloan of the Utah Jazz and C. Vivian Stringer of Rutgers University were inducted as well.
Players who are inducted into the Hall of Fame must have been retired for at least five years. Contributors to the game of basketball, who did not play, can also be inducted at any time. Although there is a slight controversy to the process, Jordan’s numbers leave no doubt he deserves to be in the Hall of Fame.
Jordan transcended the NBA during his 15-year career on and off the court. He dominated on the courts, toying with his opponents and playing like a kid with no worries in the world.
He even flashed signs of greatness during his college years at North Carolina with his contribution to their national championship title.
Drafted by the Chicago Bulls in 1984, Jordan quickly became a household name. He branded the term “Air Jordan” while soaring over his opponents at will.
During his time in the league he averaged 30.12 points per game, won six championships and six championship mvp awards with the Chicago Bulls. He was also the most valuable player of the league five times.
Jordan even conquered the basketball scene on an international level by wining two gold medals in 1984 and the 1992 Olympics, in Barcelona. Jordan, along with teammates Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Charles Barkley and a host of NBA legends, devoured any competition that was placed in front of them.
Off the court, Jordan turned the sneaker industry upside down. The Jordan brand is the standard of shoes and clothing. It all started in 1984 when Nike was falling behind in the fast paced shoe industry and needed a way to get back in the game. Nike offered him a contract for $2.5 million. The Air Jordan 1 was released in 1985 and the rest is history.
Jordan has done so much for the game, it became a question of not if, but when would he get that invitation to the Hall of Fame.Source
