Michael Jordan

Failure to Greatness

Six championship rings, owner of the Charlotte Hornets, talked about as one of the greatest to ever play basketball, Michael Jordan was an inspiration to others all around the world. Drafted by the Chicago Bulls, being in movies and commercials, and now the owner of the Charlotte Hornets, his rise to fame and success wasn’t easy. Born on February 17, 1963 in Brooklyn, New York, Michael Jordan was always a competitor. He didn’t compete with other people but instead with what he was capable of. In his sophomore year, Michael Jordan was cut from the Varsity basketball team. Eventually overcoming these obstacles, he later on made the team, receiving a scholarship to North Carolina UNC. There he was drafted by the Chicago Bulls, where he would go on to win many championships, making a statement for himself. Through many great people around the world, past and present, a hero must possess courage and passion. The ability to push through when times are the toughest and never give up is what outshines a hero from those that just talk about their greatness instead of doing it. Michael Jordan, an inspiration around the world, shows through passion and hard work that anyone can do anything if they set their mind to it. Him being able to step up through times of conflict and criticism makes him the person he is today. He shows that no matter how hard you work, that he is willing to work harder, and proving others wrong, he would change the way people play basketball forever.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jordan_Lipofsky.jpgSteve Lipofsky Basketballphoto.com [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)]Michael Jordan is a hero for his love and passion for the game of basketball and his inspiration to others not to give up on your dreams. During his high school career, he attempted to try out for his high school varsity basketball team. “As a freshman at Wilmington's Laney High School, Jordan tried out for the varsity basketball team and was cut. The next year he was cut again soon after the season began” (Michael Jordan Contemporary Vol 21). When Jordan was trying out for his basketball team in high school, although he faced the disappointment of not making his team, that didn’t stop him from pursuing his dreams. With practicing discipline and heart, he was able to inspire others today that anything is possible if you focus on it. If Michael Jordan didn’t go through that failure and disappointment, he wouldn't have pushed himself even harder to become a better player. Receiving a scholarship to North Carolina, he would go on and dominate against other college players to be drafted later by the Chicago Bulls, “...as a standout freshman for a University of North Carolina team that won a national title in 1982. As a member of the Chicago Bulls, he won six National Basketball Association (NBA) titles, along with six individual scoring championships” (St. James). Not going through times of trouble, his chances of reaching the NBA would have been slimmer. However, going through failure didn’t make Jordan quit yet instead as motivation to get better not only with those around him but himself.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cazzaro_Jordan.jpgGapvenezia [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)]Another reason Michael Jordan was a hero was for his hard work and the ability not to quit when times were the toughest. This shows when MJ finally earned a spot on the high school varsity team. “Not making the team encouraged Jordan to work for his goals. He made the team his junior and senior years, and after high school accepted a scholarship to the University of North Carolina” (“Michael Jordan”. Business Vol 2). This inspired him to get better and shows that even through failure, on the other side is success. Michael through hard work and discipline shows to never give up on your dreams no matter who or what is stopping you from it.Through failure and self-doubt in himself, that didn’t stop him from pursuing his dreams and instead he proved others wrong and went out to be one of the best players on his high school team. In the end of Michael Jordan’s NBA basketball career, there was a topic on whether he could claim to be the best player of all time to play the game of basketball. “'Is Michael Jeffrey Jordan simply the best basketball player in the history of the planet?... You know the answer to that question: yes. A resounding yes.' Jordan made history as he was named the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player three consecutive times. He became the first player since Wilt Chamberlain to score 3,000 points in a season and at the time, the only player in history to score 50 or more points in five playoff games” (Michael Jordan Contemporary Vol 21). If Jordan were to have given up on his dreams, he wouldn’t have been this successful and inspired all those around him that wanted to be like him. No matter what situation or consequences occur, Jordan shows to keep standing, however rough the seas, and lay foundations to never quit.

Going from not making his high school basketball team to now being talked as one of the greatest of all time to ever play is the reason why many kids look up to him and are inspired about how he didn’t quit in times when most people would. From not being able to make the high school varsity team to accomplishing six championship rings and now owner for the Charlotte Hornets, Michael Jordan is a hero for overcoming obstacles and never giving up. He is an inspiration for our generation and many more to come. Through hard work and passion, Michael Jordan inspired many people around him by challenging them not to quit when times are hard and to keep pushing towards your dreams when you can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. The ability to come back from failure and disappointment, when most people have given up and thrown in the towel, is the reason why he is a hero and is why many strive to be like him. Therefore Jordan was an inspiration for all of his accomplishments, from winning championships to becoming a billionaire owner for the Charlotte Hornets. Jordan shows as long as you don’t quit and keep moving forward, you will be successful. Jordan proves to us anyone can accomplish their dreams if they set their mind to it.

"Michael Jordan." Contemporary Black Biography, vol. 21, Gale, 1999. Biography In Context,https://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/K1606001361/BIC?u=powa9245&sid=BIC&xid=b9b09487. Accessed 1 May 2019.

"Michael Jordan." Business Leader Profiles for Students, edited by Sheila Dow and Jaime E. Noce, vol. 1, Gale, 1999. Biography In Context, https://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/K1604000124/BIC?u=powa9245&sid=BIC&xid=bf37ca2c. Accessed 1 May 2019.

"Michael Jordan." Business Leader Profiles for Students, edited by Sheila Dow and Jaime E. Noce, vol. 2, Gale, 2002. Biography In Context, https://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/K1604000354/BIC?u=powa9245&sid=BIC&xid=ec37cd73. Accessed 2 May 2019.

“Michael Jordan Biography |  .” Biography Online, 1999,www.biographyonline.net/sport/michael-jordan.html.

"Michael Jordan." St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture Online, Gale, 2013. Biography In Context, https://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/K2419200618/BIC?u=powa9245&sid=BIC&xid=06efbe6b. Accessed 1 May 2019.