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Michael Jordan was voted by his peers as the most influential player in NBA history. The survey was conducted by HoopsHype and involved 52 former and current NBA players. The scoring system was simple as voters chose their top five most influential players, with a point equivalent per ranking.
"His Airness" won by a landslide, garnering 73.85% of the maximum amount of points possible. LeBron James came in second, with Allen Iverson at third, Kobe Bryant at number and Magic Johnson rounding out the top five.
"He just made the game look so fun and painted an amazing picture with the way he played. Off the court, seeing how he carried himself. He showed the business side from a branding standpoint that was unreal. His logo speaks for itself, and he ran the basketball operations of the Wizards and played while doing it," said one former NBA player who played alongside MJ.
"It was Jordan’s aura, his swag on the court, and how his presence was felt throughout the world. Even if you don’t follow basketball, everyone knows who Mike is," an ex-NBA player added.
Michael Jordan's influence is still felt to this day in the NBA and off the court. He's been retired for almost 20 years, but his presence during the 2022 NBA All-Star Game was unbelievable. The fans gave him the biggest cheers and every legend was eager to talk or interact with His Airness.
The Air Jordan brand is as big as it's ever been. He's paved the way for superstars such as LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Steph Curry on how to develop their own brand. Jordan also owns an NBA team, the Charlotte Hornets, as well as NASCAR's 23XI Racing.
Michael Jordan's career retrospective
Michael Jordan started his basketball career with the Chicago Bulls in 1984 after getting selected third overall. Jordan was a junior out of North Carolina, already an NCAA champion and an Olympic gold medalist. He ended up winning Rookie of the Year, but missed most of his second season due to a foot injury.
"His Airness" announced his arrival in the 1986 NBA playoffs against the Boston Celtics. He scored a playoff-record 63 points in Game 2, which still stands to this day. The 80s were dominated by Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and Isiah Thomas, but Jordan won his first MVP in 1988.
In 1991, Michael Jordan made his breakthrough by finally beating the Detroit Pistons and making his first NBA Finals appearance. Jordan and the Bulls won three straight NBA championships before retiring at the age of 32. He returned in 1995, winning three more NBA titles and retiring again in 1998.
Jordan will make one last comeback in 2001 as part of the Washington Wizards. However, his age has finally caught up to him as he failed to lead the Wizards to the playoffs in his two seasons in the capital. He would retire in 2003 before becoming the majority owner of the Charlotte Hornets in 2010.
