Drive of a Champion
Logan Rehrer
McDaniel
Period 3
Michael Jordan dashed home flustered after school. He was devastated and
overflowing with emotion. He had been cut from the varsity basketball team at Laney
High School “he was raw and undersized” (“Biography for Michael Jordan” 1). Even
though he was cut, that event did not stop Michael Jordan from becoming one of the
greatest players of all time to play the game of basketball. Jordan has established himself
as a global icon for people everywhere around the world. Jordan is even arguably the best
player of all time and a Hall of Fame candidate. He showed everyone that with drive and
hard work a person can overcome even the toughest obstacles. Jordan summed up his
internal drive and passion by saying, “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” (Hastings 1). Michael
Jordan was driven for success, had to overcome many of life’s obstacle, and overall he
impacted the game of basketball greatly.
Michael Jordan had a unique drive to succeed in everything that he ever attempted
to achieve. All of his life he wanted to be the best of the best. Determination is what
fuelled the NBA’s greatest prospect. Jordan fell in love with basketball at an early age.
Michael’s brother Larry Jordan inspired him to start playing basketball. Michael Jordan
started getting his determination from trying to beat Larry in one on one games (Pietrusza
11). Michael wanted to show people what he could do. The sky was the limit for Michael
Jordan. He strived for greatness throughout his whole life. Winning was second to none.
He is the type of person that gains a feeling of satisfaction when he proves people wrong.
Michael looked up to Larry Jordan just as any younger brother looks up to his older
brother. “When you see me play,” Jordan said, “You see Larry play” (Pietrusza 12).
Jordan’s brother helped push and direct him into greatness.
Michael Jordan was cut from his high school varsity basketball team as a
sophomore. The future all-star had to improve his game. He had to also show tremendous
gains in his physicality. Jordan elaborated about when he was cut saying, “Being cut
definitely had a big effect on me. It was embarrassing, not making the team. They posted
the roster in the locker room, and it was there for a long, long time without my name on it.
I remember being really mad, too, because there was a guy who made it that really wasn’t
as good as me. I was down about not making it for a while, and I thought about not
playing anymore. Of course, I did keep playing, and whenever I was working out and got
tired and figured I ought to stop, I’d close my eyes and see that list in the locker room
without my name on it. That got me going again” (qtd. in Pietrusza 13). Most people
would have given up. The human race naturally accepts failure and settles with quitting.
Michael Jordan defied that instinct of giving up. He worked hard because he wanted to be
successful. The future all star wasn’t going to accept someone telling him he was not
good enough. He soaked himself in all of other peoples’ doubt and used it as fuel and
passion with the game of basketball. Even when Jordan made the team the following
years in high school, people doubted him then for his physical well being. Jordan didn’t
let this affect him as he put up 25 points per game and was elected on the McDonald’s
All American Team in his senior year (“Biography for Michael Jordan” 1). Could
Michael Jordan handle the NCAA? Dean Smith, the North Carolina Tar Heels head coach,
sure thought so.
All throughout Michael Jordan’s career he continually beat out doubt and
criticism. He handled these situations with great poise as well. He had to find some way
to cope with all of the pressure and drama that comes with being an up and rising
basketball star. Many people find different ways to calm themselves and become more
recollected. The basketball court was Jordan’s way to escape and forget about all of life’s
surprises. One of Michael Jordan’s biggest influences was his father, James Jordan. He
moved his family to North Carolina to escape the dangers of New York (Chandy 1).
Jordan could depend on his father for help and advice on life’s situations.
Many star athletes face difficult times with publicity and journalists trying to dig
up dirt on them. Jordan had a lot of pressure in his lifetime and he needed to find a way to
stabilize things off of the court. The answer was Juanita Vanoy; the formal supermodel
helped to establish some stability in Michael Jordan’s life after they eventually got
married (Pietrusza 35). Juanita was Jordan’s joy. Juanita Jordan was there for Michael
Jordan when his dad was killed in a murder case. This was one of the hardest times for
Michael Jordan, and it eventually became one of the main factors that led him to his first
retirement from the Bulls (“Biography for Michael Jordan” 1). Jordan was strong and he
overcame these troubles. He became closer to his family and pursued his father’s love,
baseball.
It is widely known that Jordan played baseball for the Chicago White Sox for a
few years. During his career Jordan started out a little shaky in the beginning season.
Later in the year as he became more back into the flow of baseball, Michael Jordan
showed some signs of becoming a decent baseball player. Another pressure that toppled
on Jordan was when the strike hit baseball. Managers and Owners of the White Sox
pressured Jordan into becoming a strike breaker and finally ending the feud. Jordan did
not feel comfortable with this new situation so he quit baseball and made his comeback
into the NBA (Pietrusza 77). Michael Jordan overcame many feats and tough situations
that most people could never get through sanely. He had to be very calm and collected to
push through the troubled times and make a stand of greatness. This just shows how
remarkable and incredibly strong Michael Jordan became over the years. Nothing could
stop this remarkable basketball player from shinning on and off the court.
Not only did Michael Jordan triumph most of his troubles in his personal life, but
he changed the game of basketball by doing the impossible. Air Jordan was the ultimate
threat, and the Bulls’ greatest weapon on the court. He could do it all; shoot from
anywhere, drive through messes in the lane, and most of all defy gravity and reach new
heights dunking. Even after his first retirement Jordan bounced right back and became a
dominant force again in the NBA. Jordan accomplished many amazing feats such as;
1985 Rookie of the Year, 3 NBA Championship Titles before his first retirement, and
then 3 more championships when he returned back to the NBA (“Jordan, Michael
Jeffrey” 1). This golden boy’s stats did all of the talking for him. He was a leader just by
what he did on the court. Words were never needed. Jordan would deliver amazing games
for his spectators over and over again. He displayed his leadership to everyone including
his teammates by stepping up when clutch time drew near and knocking down game
changing shots.
The world stood still when Michael Jordan finally retired from the NBA for good.
He posted such a dramatic effect on the league that when he left, no one could replace
him. No one wanted to see the greatest player ever to play the game leave. Other players
wanted to play against him so that they could say they beat Michael Jordan. That chance
came and passed when Jordan left. He gained a tremendous amount of respect from other
players and coaches all around the league. Pat Riley, a very famous NBA coach in that
time period, quoted in respect when Jordan retired, “The NBA, the fans, the players, the
coaches, American Society, and history are losing the greatest influence sports has ever
had” (qtd. in Wise 2). Michael changed the game forever. He brought a new sense of
creativity when it comes to playing style and innovative freestyle dunking.
Michael Jordan was driven for success, had to overcome many of life’s obstacle,
and overall he impacted the game of basketball greatly. This amazing superstar started
out with nothing and worked his whole life to gain everything unimaginable. His story
inspires a wide variety of youth. He has children and teens world wide saying, “I want to
be like Mike!” Jordan taught people that with hard work and determination one can do
anything with the right attitude and work ethic. Jordan overcame some of life’s biggest
struggles and he did it with class. He has forever changed the game of basketball.
Michael Jordan’s legacy will always be remembered as one of the greatest players to ever
set foot onto a basketball court.
Works Cited
“Biography for Michael Jordan.” 8 January 2009.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0003044/bio
Chandy, Anish. “Michael Jordan Biography.” 8 January 2009.
http:/www.buzzle.com/editorials/1-22-2005-64632.asp
Hastings, Michael. “Michael Jordan.” Scholastic Action. 11 February 2002: 6-8.
“Jordan, Michael Jeffrey.” The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2007.
Pietrusza, David. Michael Jordan. San Diego: Lucent Books Inc., 1999.
Wise, Mike. “The Final Word from Jordan; [Biography].” The New York Times. 14
January 1999: 1-5.
Michael Jordan
When you hear his name greatness comes to mind,
One who dominated as a man among boys,
He gave his all and in the end he shined.
All through his life he faced many people with doubt,
People questioned him,
He persevered through struggles which led him to break out.
Doing what no one else would on hot summer days,
Pushing through the agonizing pain and aching body doing
everything to developing his skill,
His determination enabled him to make outstanding plays.
He started out quiet and no one knew his name
6 National Championships throughout his career,
4 MVP’s under his belt,
By the end of his time he was the best ever to play the game.