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How Michael Jordan Brought Basketball Into The International Spotlight

admin — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 00:00:00 +0000

The NBA was faltering when Magic Johnson and Larry Bird entered the league. They helped bring the league back to a somewhat popular level. But it wasn’t until the mid-80s and Michael Jordan that the NBA took off and helped bring the NBA international attention.

Michael Jordan was drafted with the 3rd pick in the 1984 NBA draft. He took the league by storm and brought an excitement to the league that had not been witnessed before. The Chicago Bulls began to sell out games wherever they played because people wanted to see Michael Jordan. He was soon nicknamed Air Jordan and started to get attention from fans all over the world.

Jordan also started to market his special Air Jordan shoes from Nike. He started doing commercials and the shoes were a best seller all over the world. Not only did he help bring basketball to countries across the globe, he made Nike an international success.

Michael Jordan also led the 1992 Dream Team. This team dominated international competition and helped change international basketball forever. They easily won the gold medal and fans got to see Jordan overseas. Michael Jordan will forever be remembered for changing the game of basketball and bringing the NBA international fame.Still bored? Click to continue: Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson & Larry Bird Cover NBA 2k12

Three Interesting Facts About Wilt Chamberlain

admin — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Wilt Chamberlain’s NBA career spanned the years 1959 through 1973. I have been a huge NBA fan for over 50 years and remember living in LA when he played for the Lakers. 1) Wilt never foulded out of an NBA game in his career, an amazing statistic. I remember a Sports Illustrated article about him after he retired. An opponent kept pounding on Wilt in the paint. Wilt got mad and elbowed the defender into the 4th row. The referee went to the defender and said to just sit there, that he’d never seen Wilt that mad and it wouldn’t be safe to come back on the court right away.I was looking for more information and found it here. The ref said Wilt was the strongest player he ever saw. 2) He was and will probably always be the highest scorer in league history. However, he averaged 23.8-27.0 rebounds per game for seven seasons. The leader this past season had about 14 rebounds per game. 3) Wilt was a tremendous athlete who did track while at Kansas. He ran the 440, highjumped, did the shot but and broad (long) jump, winning the conference championship in high jump. He was an unbelieveable athlete who started a professional volleyball league after he retired from basketball. Amazing.

How Wilt Chamberlain Changed Basketball Forever

admin — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Wilt “The Stilt” Chamberlain changed the game of basketball forever. When he was still in high school he was already changing the game of basketball. The way he approached free throws led to rule changes that are still in place today. Chamberlain would throw the ball of the backboard and catch the ball in the air and dunk it. Because players couldn’t stop him from doing this, the rules were changed so that a free throw shooter couldn’t cross the free throw line until after the ball hit the rim.

Wilt Chamberlain revolutionized the center position in basketball. The NBA had never seen such an athletic and dominant big man. He commanded triple teams on a regular basis. Chamberlain once scored 100 points in an NBA game. This is a record that still stands today and many feel may never be broken. Greats such as Jordan, Kareem and Bird have come and gone and not approached his scoring record. The closest it has come to being broken was an 81 point effort by Laker star Kobe Bryant.

Wilt Chamberlain is arguably the greatest center to play the game and his play helped change the game of basket ball forever. His name still stands by several basketball records.Want to know more? Go ahead: NBA: The 15 Most Unbreakable Records in League History

The Many Contributions Of Michael Jordan Off The Court

admin — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Michael Jordan’s on-court accomplishments are legendary: six-time champion, five-time NBA MVP, and the most marketable and globally influential professional athlete ever. Because of his athletic dominance, though, Jordan’s off-court work is sometimes overshadowed. It is, however, still significant.

Chief among Michael’s efforts to give back to society is the James Jordan Boys and Girls Club and Family Life Center, named for his father and founded in 1994. Michael personally donated 2 million for the development of the club, and his former team, the Chicago Bulls, donated 5 million. Today, the club is used by more than 1,000 adults and children every week, and is a mainstay of the city’s efforts to provide safe and productive environments for young people.

Michael Jordan is also heavily involved with the Make-A-Wish foundation, which named him its “Chief Wish Ambassador” in 1999. The organization helps grant wishes for tens of thousands of children diagnosed with life-threatening medical conditions each year. Jordan himself has personally granted hundreds of wishes for young kids and raises money actively for the organization through celebrity golf tournaments, among other things.

To millions of kids, Michael Jordan is every bit the champion off the court that he was on it.Take a look here to learn more: Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan to grace NBA 2K12 cover