"Michael Jordan, we watched the Pistons tackle him, Isiah wouldn’t shake his hand" - Colin Cowherd on why MJ became a beloved figure in American sports

Michael Jordan retired from the NBA nearly two decades ago, but he remains incredibly popular among basketball fans. Nearly everyone who saw him play in his prime would argue that he's the greatest of all time.

Jordan, however, didn’t get to the top of the totem pole without going through serious growing pains, both literally and figuratively. Colin Cowherd, on his podcast, stated that Jordan’s on-court and off-court struggles allowed fans to identify with the basketball superstar.

“Michael Jordan, we watched the Pistons tackle him, Isiah [Thomas] wouldn’t shake his hand. We watched the Celtics tackle him, we watched the death of his father, we watched the 'Comeback,' we watched the 'Flu Game'.”

The analyst added:

“And then we watched the documentary where he’s fighting with his general manager. I think a big part of the Michael Jordan love is he got his a** kicked a lot and he lost a lot, personally and professionally. Makes Michael so much easier to embrace.”

Jordan entered the NBA when it was ruled by Larry Bird’s Boston Celtics and Magic Johnson’s LA Lakers. He also had to contend with the Detroit Pistons, who were popularly known as “The Bad Boys.”

Dubbed Chicago’s savior, the North Carolina superstar carried the massive expectations of a success-starved city on his skinny shoulders. Glory, however, eluded Jordan in his first six years in the NBA.

The Chicago Bulls, during that span, lost to the Milwaukee Bucks once, to the Celtics twice and to Isiah Thomas’ Detroit Pistons thrice.

Michael Jordan’s battles with the Pistons were the stuff of legend. “The Bad Boys” created the 'Jordan Rules', bruising physical play that bordered on being dirty, to stop MJ. Bill Laimbeer, Rick Mahorn, Dennis Rodman and Thomas consistently punished the Bulls’ best player, particularly when he drove to the basket.

Jordan, however, didn’t quit. He kept getting better and stronger, both physically and mentally. When MJ’s Bulls’ finally matured, there was no stopping them. They took everything the Pistons dished at them and rolled on.

After six years of failure, “His Airness” finally won a title. The difficult path to his first title made Jordan’s success that much more enjoyable.

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Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls paid their dues and then ruled NBA

Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen were the leaders of the most dominant team of the '90s. [Photo: NPR]

There was no stopping “His Airness” once he got past the Detroit Pistons as he led the Chicago Bulls to their first grand slam. Basketball, however, took a back seat following the death of his father.

Stunned by the death of his biggest fan, Jordan retired from basketball and had a brief stint in baseball.

The stage was then set for his comeback and millions of basketball fans went wild when Jordan announced his return to the NBA.

He played only 17 regular-season games during the 1994-95 season and wasn’t at his best in the playoffs. The Bulls were eliminated by Shaquille O’Neal's Orlando Magic in six games.

With a full training camp and preseason, Michael Jordan returned to his best, with the Bulls embarking on another three-peat. The Bulls were unable to defend their last title as the late Jerry Krause decided to disband the most dominant team of the ‘90s.

By the time Jordan retired for good, he had established himself as not just a basketball legend, but also a global icon.