| Michael, an American professional
basketball player, is considered by many to be the greatest player in basketball
history. The 6 feet 6 inches shooting guard first became known as an
{{U}}(61) {{/U}} individual scorer, but as he matured as a player he
{{U}}(62) {{/U}} a more team-oriented approach to the game. Jordan led
the Chicago Bulls to six National Basketball Association (NBA) championships.
His widespread {{U}}(63) {{/U}} fans helped make basketball one of the
world's most popular {{U}}(64) {{/U}} sports. Michael Jordan was born in Brooklyn, New York, the fourth of five children born to the family. Long before his basketball {{U}}(65) {{/U}} emerged, young Michael liked to play baseball with his father. As a teenager, Jordan became {{U}}(66) {{/U}} in North Carolina for his baseball skills, and he was named most {{U}}(67) {{/U}} player after his team won the state championship. When Jordan joined the NBA in 1984, basketball's popularity was already {{U}}(68) {{/U}}. But observers believe that Jordan was the {{U}}(69) {{/U}} force that kept basketball's appeal fresh. The Bulls' {{U}}(70) {{/U}} of the NBA under Jordan's leadership captured the imagination of many people, and his athletic skills, and {{U}}(71) {{/U}} drive created new basketball fans as few other players have. Jordan's popularity has spread well {{U}}(72) {{/U}} scoring titles, championships, and other aspects of the NBA. He has become one of the most-recognized individuals in the world. Jordan has been especially {{U}}(73) {{/U}} in the sportswear industry, {{U}}(74) {{/U}} Nike's introduction of the famous line of Air Jordan basketball shoes in 1984. The partnership between Jordan and Nike became {{U}}(75) {{/U}} successful that, before the 1997-98 season, Nike created a separate business unit known as the JORDAN brand to market footwear and apparel that Jordan himself helped design. |