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In the conversation about the greatest players to ever step on an NBA court, Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan is one of the first names that comes to mind. Jordan transformed the NBA with his ability to make jaw-dropping plays at any moment. Not only was "MJ" one of the league's most impressive athletes, he also became a technician withthes ability to score from multiple spots on the court.
During his career, Jordan became one of the biggest stars basketball has ever seen. It wasn't just his ability on the court, as Jordan's popularity skyrocketed as well. There's an argument to be made that no athlete in professional sports was more globally popular than Jordan was during his prime.
Jordan was in the news once again over the weekend at the All-Star Game, where he was celebrated as one of the members of the NBA 75. On Tuesday on "The Herd," sports analyst Collin Cowherd gave Jordan a glowing endorsement, saying he's the most popular athlete in the history of the country.
"Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player, all things told, to fans," Cowherd said. "LeBron (James) can do more things well in my opinion, and you could certainly argue for LeBron ...
"But the fact that Michael Jordan is the most popular former athlete in the history of the country ... and we know his warts and we know he punched a teammate and we know he did things we don't love and there's the gambling stuff ... but there's something about his DNA and his core values ... America says I want that again."
Jordan skyrocketed into one of the most popular figures in the world of professional sports. Not only was Jordan one of the top players in the sport, he was also the face of a marketing explosion by Nike and Gatorade, to mention a few notable companies.
What made Jordan so loved by fans was his obsession with winning. It wasn't always the prettiest, but Jordan was one of the most competitive players the game had seen.
"Michael was a bad loser, but boy was he a great winner and it was good to see him for a day," Cowherd said.
Michael Jordan honored at the All-Star Game
It was a special weekend for the NBA, as the league celebrated its top 75 players of all time for its 75th anniversary. While the All-Star weekend featured plenty of big names around today's game, it was clear all eyes were on the legendary Michael Jordan.
Players old and new still look to Jordan as one of the greatest of all time. As analyst Collin Cowherd described, Jordan had a number of questionable storylines throughout his career, but it was also part of the type of competitor he was.
The debate between Jordan and superstar LeBron James will continue, even after James decides to hang them up. For one weekend, it was nice to see Jordan back in the spotlight, surrounded by so many other legendary players.
