Michael Jordan's Top All-Star Game Moments
It's Michael Jordan's 50th birthday, and coincidentally it's the NBA All-Star Game today. It's so hard to full encapsulate just how good Michael Jordan was as a player, but a decent gauge is the fact that he played 15 seasons in the NBA, and was an All-Star in 14 of them. The one season he wasn't a top choice for the fans? The season he played only 17 games after leaving baseball and unretiring from basketball.
It's remarkable that from the moment he entered the NBA as a skinny 21-year-old, to the time he retired at a still-effective 40, Jordan was recognized by the fans as the top player in the NBA. Some athletes get appreciated more when they're gone, some are adored while they play - Jordan is both.
So let's run through some of Jordan's top All-Star Game moments: the time he got to shine against the best of the best.
It's remarkable that from the moment he entered the NBA as a skinny 21-year-old, to the time he retired at a still-effective 40, Jordan was recognized by the fans as the top player in the NBA. Some athletes get appreciated more when they're gone, some are adored while they play - Jordan is both.
So let's run through some of Jordan's top All-Star Game moments: the time he got to shine against the best of the best.
1985 All-Star Game
Jordan is a starter as a rookie - a pretty rare feat, given that it has only happened three times in the last 20 years. This All-Star Game is memorable for a big reason: the "Freeze-out," aka the effort by some of the veteran players (mostly Isiah Thomas) to not pass the ball to Jordan in his first All-Star Game. He made only two shots for 7 points, but if his legendary teammates like Thomas, Moses Malone, Larry Bird and Julius "Dr. J" Erving were that afraid of the young cat, it's pretty clear who REALLY won.
And oh-by-the-way, Jordan took on Dominique Wilkins, Clyde Drexler, and Dr. J in the Dunk Contest, widely appreciated as one of the best of all time. 'Nique won this one, but Jordan had moves later on...
Jordan is a starter as a rookie - a pretty rare feat, given that it has only happened three times in the last 20 years. This All-Star Game is memorable for a big reason: the "Freeze-out," aka the effort by some of the veteran players (mostly Isiah Thomas) to not pass the ball to Jordan in his first All-Star Game. He made only two shots for 7 points, but if his legendary teammates like Thomas, Moses Malone, Larry Bird and Julius "Dr. J" Erving were that afraid of the young cat, it's pretty clear who REALLY won.
And oh-by-the-way, Jordan took on Dominique Wilkins, Clyde Drexler, and Dr. J in the Dunk Contest, widely appreciated as one of the best of all time. 'Nique won this one, but Jordan had moves later on...
1987 All-Star Game
Jordan missed '86 with a broken foot, although he was still voted in despite playing in only 18 games. The '87 game was fairly pedestrian for Jordan, but the Dunk Contest was one of the first pieces in the legend. Jordan won his first dunk contest with some pretty sick moves. But it was all a prelude to the next year...
Jordan missed '86 with a broken foot, although he was still voted in despite playing in only 18 games. The '87 game was fairly pedestrian for Jordan, but the Dunk Contest was one of the first pieces in the legend. Jordan won his first dunk contest with some pretty sick moves. But it was all a prelude to the next year...
1988 All-Star Game
Now he had arrived - at least on All-Star weekend. Forget the Freeze-Out, forget not playing much. Jordan went off for 40 points, took MVP honors, and pretty much crushed everyone on the biggest stage for stars.
But Jordan also cemented his legend with his second Dunk Contest title, besting Wilkins in the signature duel in dunking history. This was Air Jordan in the making.
Now he had arrived - at least on All-Star weekend. Forget the Freeze-Out, forget not playing much. Jordan went off for 40 points, took MVP honors, and pretty much crushed everyone on the biggest stage for stars.
But Jordan also cemented his legend with his second Dunk Contest title, besting Wilkins in the signature duel in dunking history. This was Air Jordan in the making.
1996 All-Star Game
Time jump! So Jordan is older now - he's won three titles AND retired for the first time. He's 32, and making way for some young guns on squad: Penny Hardaway, Grant Hill, Jason Kidd, Shaquille O'Neal. Shaq leads the way in scoring, but it's Jordan who captures MVP honors in San Antonio, and in a few months wins his fourth NBA title - the first in the second three-peat. Did that make any sense?
Time jump! So Jordan is older now - he's won three titles AND retired for the first time. He's 32, and making way for some young guns on squad: Penny Hardaway, Grant Hill, Jason Kidd, Shaquille O'Neal. Shaq leads the way in scoring, but it's Jordan who captures MVP honors in San Antonio, and in a few months wins his fourth NBA title - the first in the second three-peat. Did that make any sense?
1998 All-Star Game
A big one. At Madison Square Garden, with young stars like Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan, and the All-Star debut of Kobe Bryant, the "heir Jordan" who would actually make a case later on. Jordan would retire for the second time after this season, after winning his sixth title. On Broadway, at age 34, Jordan schooled the young West squad with 23 points and eight dimes, taking MVP honors and leading the East to a big win.
A big one. At Madison Square Garden, with young stars like Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan, and the All-Star debut of Kobe Bryant, the "heir Jordan" who would actually make a case later on. Jordan would retire for the second time after this season, after winning his sixth title. On Broadway, at age 34, Jordan schooled the young West squad with 23 points and eight dimes, taking MVP honors and leading the East to a big win.
2003 All-Star Game
After a big layoff, Jordan came back in the 2001-02 season for the Washington Wizards, which generally made everyone feel weird. The 2002 Game was fairly unremarkable, at least considering that Jordan was again back in the NBA and named a starter at age 38.
But 2003 - this one is notable for a lot of (sorta negative) reasons. First of all, MJ wasn't picked to start, and pretty much everyone on the East squad offered to give up their starting spot to the legend - except for Vince Carter. Air Canada finally gave it up with hours to go before the game, and Jordan was able to start. He played... awful. He shot 9-27, and it seemed like his teammates were BEGGING him to be a hero and hit a game-winner at the end of regulation. Instead, the game went to double-overtime, the West won, and everyone felt awful that they didn't get a storybook Jordan ending.
That's the thing about MJ - you take the great with the bad. He was incredible, but he's also a noted asshole. He was a winner with a sterling legacy, until he decided to come back one too many times. You can't picture him floating through the air in his No. 23 Bulls jersey without also seeing that weird No. 45, or (shudder) that ugly Wizards uni from the early 2000s. Still, the guy scored 20 PPG at age 40 - how many guys can say that? None.
After a big layoff, Jordan came back in the 2001-02 season for the Washington Wizards, which generally made everyone feel weird. The 2002 Game was fairly unremarkable, at least considering that Jordan was again back in the NBA and named a starter at age 38.
But 2003 - this one is notable for a lot of (sorta negative) reasons. First of all, MJ wasn't picked to start, and pretty much everyone on the East squad offered to give up their starting spot to the legend - except for Vince Carter. Air Canada finally gave it up with hours to go before the game, and Jordan was able to start. He played... awful. He shot 9-27, and it seemed like his teammates were BEGGING him to be a hero and hit a game-winner at the end of regulation. Instead, the game went to double-overtime, the West won, and everyone felt awful that they didn't get a storybook Jordan ending.
That's the thing about MJ - you take the great with the bad. He was incredible, but he's also a noted asshole. He was a winner with a sterling legacy, until he decided to come back one too many times. You can't picture him floating through the air in his No. 23 Bulls jersey without also seeing that weird No. 45, or (shudder) that ugly Wizards uni from the early 2000s. Still, the guy scored 20 PPG at age 40 - how many guys can say that? None.
