Michael Jordan

Michael Jeffrey Jordan emerged from the University of North Carolina as a basketball prodigy after his freshman season concluded with a game-winning shot in the 1982 NCAA national championship game. The Chicago Bulls selected him third overall in the 1984 NBA Draft, and he immediately made an impact by winning NBA Rookie of the Year in 1984–85. Throughout the late 1980s, Jordan established himself as one of basketball's elite players. He won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 1987–88 and claimed his first MVP award that same season. Despite his individual brilliance, Jordan's Bulls teams were repeatedly stopped in the postseason by the Detroit Pistons' defensive strategy known as the 'Jordan Rules.' The turning point came in 1991 when Jordan finally secured his first NBA championship, launching an unprecedented dynasty. The Bulls won three consecutive titles from 1991 to 1993, with Jordan winning Finals MVP in each series. After retiring briefly to pursue a baseball career in 1993, Jordan returned to the NBA in 1995 and led the Bulls to three more consecutive championships from 1996 to 1998. He made a final comeback in 2001, appearing in the 2002 and 2003 All-Star Games while averaging 20 points per game.