Michael Jordan possesses a number of unique characteristics as a person and as a basketball player that allow him to be hailed as one of the greatest NBA players ever. In my mind, he is the greatest ever. But just what is it that makes him the greatest? I have tried (tried) to document the things that make Jordan tick.

The Competitive Spirit

Jordan, since his earliest days at Laney High School, has been renowned for his compassion, his desire to compete. A diligence that is extremely rare. It might be playing cards on a chartered jet, it might be tossing horseshoes in the middle of nowhere, it might be racing to the end of the street, or it might be in the closing moments of the NBA Finals--Jordan is going to give 110% without any excuses. Perhaps it is even conveyed as selfishness to some, not to me though. The never-say-quit philosophy MJ lives by is something that, if he did not possess, Michael Jordan probably would not be known to you or to me. But he has it. And it’s something that has served as an inspiration to millions of people acorss the globe in both an athletic sense and a personal sense. It truly is an attribute Jordan exhibits every day of his life, and it makes him a great individual.

The Hatred of Defeat

Jordan endured the beating of the then-dominant teams early in his career. Usually, this was the Detroit Pistons, known to fans as the "Bad Boys." It was during these years that Michael experienced truly demoralizing losses at the hands of a better ball club. He wanted to win with all his heart, but he was banged on and eventually defeated by Detroit. And yet, he came back year after year with the same determination and the same attitude. Part of it ties in with the aforementioned competitive spirit, but also, it is because Michael Jordan loathes, abominates, detests losing. He remains within the boundary of the rules, but he will do anything else in order to secure a victory for his team or for himself; perhaps taking a charge from Patrick Ewing, perhaps getting the ball to the hot player when he himself isn't shooting particularly well, or perhaps it's swallowing his pride and taking the blame for some action or controversy he did not instigate. In all instances, he is furthering his effort to be certain his team has the greatest conceivable chance of winning.

Resiliency

March 19, 1995. A date that will stand out from all others for the remainder of time. Why? It was the day when Michael Jordan visibly made his return to the game of basketball after spending more than a year playing baseball in the Chicago White Sox organization. At the time, nobody, including MJ himself, knew what was to come. The world was buzzing to know if Jordan would be able to come back, after everything he had gone through, and lead the team to success. The regular season came to a close, and Michael wasn't looking as sharp as the basketball world remembered him. Critics were quick to question his heart and his reasons for coming back. They said it would be nearly impossible for Michael to regain his dominance. Jordan did not succumb to this scrutiny. He took it upon himself to get back in shape, and get back on top. It was the ultimate test in resiliency--unprecedented. At the same time Jordan was shooting Space Jam, he had a special site constructed for him, dubbed The Jordan Dome, in order for him to continue to expand his basketball skills. Other NBA pros came to LA to play pick-up games led by His Airness. With this constant practice, MJ re-discovered his skills, as well as his mental edge.

The 1995-1996 displayed a rejuvenated Jordan that led his team to unearthly feats. Michael was having as much fun playing as he had ever had in the process. It soon became apparent that this Chicago team was one of the greatest, if not the greatest, teams in NBA history. As you know, the Bulls went an outstanding 72-10 in the regular season and defeated Seattle in the NBA Finals. It was Chicago's fourth title in six years. The comeback was complete. Without a doubt, Jordan was one of the greatest ever. That's how history will remember him--the greatest.

Performance in the Clutch

From the earliest games in his career, to his most recent games, Michael Jordan has been entrusted with the responsibility to hit the big shot when the team was in a diar situation. Much has been said about his ability to break the back of the opposing team when they thought victory was insured. Times like the first round of the 1989 NBA Playoffs, when Jordan, shadowed by Ehlo, soared through the air, waiting for Ehlo to descend, and then burying the game-winning shot. It's just one of numerous times Jordan has defied the odds to perform the seemingly impossible feat. He did it back in 1989, he did it in Game One of the 1997 NBA Finals, and dozens of times inbetween. It's a mark of extraordinary greatness.

The Jordan Mystique

Just what is the Jordan Mystique? I doubt anyone other than Michael Jordan has a clear idea. I do know, however, that it is what many fans experience just at the sight of him. It is when opposing players find themselves watching Jordan make a spectacular move. It's the excitement in Marv Albert's voice as he exclaims "Ohhhh, what a move by Jordan!" Times like this provide a taste of the rare, awe-inspiring aura Jordan carries with him on and off the basketball court. It brings constant praise from his admirers, and constant resentment from his oppositions. All the while, Michael conducts himself as a true gentlemen, as his parents raised him in Wilmington. He respects everybody, and never says an undeserved unkind word in public about anybody. It's all these things Jordan experiences day in and day out that exhibit his greatness for all to see, whether they are a fan or not. All possessed by him, the man who I call the greatest basketball player ever to live, as well as one of the greatest men that will ever live.