Image via Complex Original
The third overall pick of the 1984 NBA Draft, Michael Jeffrey Jordan, has come to personify not just winning and greatness, but the game of basketball itself. From his early days at Laney High School in Wilmington, NC, to his final ring with the Chicago Bulls in 1998, MJ has had a storied career that extends well beyond the confines of any basketball court.
A six-time champion, and six-time Finals MVP, Jordan was instrumental in popularizing the NBA around the world in the ‘80s and ‘90s. But, what if his Airness never suited up for the red and black? What if he chose to pursue baseball instead? While we shudder at the thought, a more thorough examination is necessary. From the No. 23 being just another jersey to the Bulls possibly still calling Chicago Stadium home, check out, 23 Ways NBA History Would Be Different Without Michael Jordan.
Written by Adam Silvers (@silversurfer103)
Nine-figure signature sneaker deals would be unheard of.
Last year Derrick Rose signed a 14-year deal with Adidas worth $260 million, in 2003 LeBron James inked a seven-year deal with Nike that netted him $90 million, and they can both thank Michael Jordan for making it happen. Before the '84-'85 season, David Falk, Jordan's agent, negotiated a five-year deal between MJ and Nike worth $2.5 million, an unheard of amount at the time. In 2009 the Jordan brand surpassed $1 billion in annual revenue.
There would be no argument against Bill Russell being the GOAT.
Bill Russell is still arguably the greatest player of all time, but if it weren't for Jordan there would be absolutely no case for comparison. An 11-time NBA champion, and five-time MVP, Russell was not only maybe the greatest of all time, but a true pioneer of the game. Dominating during the league's developmental years, the NBA would most likely not be nearly as prominent and structured as it is today without his outstanding career. Before Magic and Bird, there was Russell and Wilt.
We would have no "flu game" to compare a hobbled or sick player's epic performance.
Game 5, 1997 NBA Finals vs. the Jazz, series tied 2-2. A gravely ill Michael Jordan steps up and delivers arguably the most clutch individual performance of all time, and this was on the road no less. Jordan finished with 38 points in 44 minutes. And in the final moments with the Bulls certain of a narrow victory, Jordan collapsed into Scottie Pippen's arms in one of the most iconic sports images of all time.
The Bad Boy Pistons would have a much different historical context within the NBA.
The "Bad Boy" Pistons made their mark on the NBA from 1982-1994, led early by Bill Laimbeer and Isiah Thomas along with head coach Chuck Daly. While beating up on their division rival Chicago Bulls, Detroit won back-to-back NBA titles during the '88-'89 and '89-'90 season. The following year, the Chicago Bulls led by Michael Jordan and Phil Jackson finally beat the Pistons in 1991 Eastern Conference Finals and rattled off their first of three straight NBA championships, and summarily put and end to any chance the Pistons had at becoming a dynasty.
Space Jam, and Kazaam, never would have been made.
Love them or hate them, the world would never have known Lola Bunny and the Monstars if it weren't for his Royal Airness. We probably wouldn't have had the chance to think less of Shaq either for his on-screen performance. We'll just leave you with this clip to remind you what you would have missed.
Kobe Bryant wouldn't be the Kobe Bryant we've come to know, love, and hate, today.
When you ask people who reminds them the most of Michael Jordan, more often than not the answer will be Kobe Bryant. From his on and off the court swagger, to his similar signature style of play, Kobe Bryant has clearly modeled much of his game after Jordan. Also having grown under the tutelage of Phil Jackson, the Black Mamba has five rings in his own right, and is regarded as one of the best to ever lace 'em up. Without MJ, who would Kobe model his game after? Certainly not Magic.
Kwame Brown would have been drafted 45th overall and probably speant his career in Slovenia.
In a move that Jordan will perhaps never live down, the drafting of Kwame Brown exemplified why so many say that former players have no business in ownership. As president of the Washington Wizards, Jordan selected Kwame Brown as the first overall pick of the 2001 NBA Draft, and thus became infamous for one of the top five greatest draft busts of all time. Did we mention the next two picks in that year's draft were Tyson Chandler and Pau Gasol, respectively?
The Bulls would still be playing in Chicago Stadium.
Dubbed "The Madhouse on Madison," the Chicago Bulls called Chicago Stadium home from 1967-1994. Boasting a capacity of 17,339 at its height, the Bulls shared the arena with the Chicago Blackhawks until the '94 season. The arena was demolished in 1995, and both the Hawks and the Bulls moved into their current home, the United Center, much to the delight of players and fans alike. If it weren't for a successful franchise the Bulls still might be playing in the Madhouse.
The iconic number 23 would probably be associated with Calvin Murphy. Basically it wouldn't be iconic.
Every kid who's ever played youth basketball, or received any basketball jersey for that matter, has always fought his teammates to the box to grab that coveted No. 23. We know it's not because of Calvin Murphy, but if it weren't for Jordan, Murphy might have gone down as the most famous NBA player to wear the famed 23 shirt. Or maybe one of these other guys, perhaps?
Isiah Thomas would not only have made the "Dream Team," but he would've been a captain.
MJ waited 20 years before finally confirming he was the driving force behind snubbing Zeke from the historic team. Salty move on MJ's part but would the Dream Team have been better off with Isiah but sans Jordan? We don't think so either.
A player sticking out their tongue when they drove the lane would just be regarded as rude.
Just as iconic as Tiger's fist pump and Messier's Stanley Cup acceptance, the Jordan tongue wag will forever be part of the history of the game. He didn't do it to be cocky or rude, it was an involuntary motion that happened once he was in deep concentration. Whatever the reason or the logic behind it, the tongue will always be synonymous with winning and greatness.
There would be absolutely no room for gambling amongst athletes.
Michael Jordan once famously stated, "Yeah, I've gotten myself into situations where I would not walk away and I've pushed the envelope. Is that compulsive? Yeah, it depends on how you look at it. If you're willing to jeopardize your livelihood and your family, then yeah." Jordan was also found gambling in Atlantic City the night before a playoff game against the Knicks in 1993. A huge deal wasn't made because, well, he's Michael Jordan, but you can be sure that if it was anybody else it wouldn't have been tolerated.
No one would be able to know what the scent of greatness was without the Michael Jordan cologne.
It's simple, really. The world would not know what two three-peats, six Finals MVP awards, and five regular-season MVP awards smelled like if it weren't for Michael Jordan. Enjoy ladies and gentlemen. Sidebar: FOH with that Yankee fragrance though.
The "highlight" style of play might never have become present in the NBA.
Whether it was live or in highlight reels, we've all seen the iconic Jordan dunks, the tongue sticking out as he drove the lane, and the step back jumpers that sunk so many dreams. Jordan created a new narrative for the game with his style of play, a style that players would emulate for years to come.
The idea of the crossover celebrity/player would never have existed.
Endorsement deals aside, Michael Jordan transcended the game of basketball itself. Jordan became a star both on and off the court during his tenure with the Bulls, featuring on magazine covers, video games, making appearances on TV shows, etc. He created the crossover culture we live in today where athletes, actors, and musicians go hand-in-hand in the celebrity world.
No one would know who, or what, the Birmingham Barons are.
The Birmingham Barons are a minor-league affiliate of the Chicago White Sox, and if it weren't for the arrival of Michael Jordan in 1994, the world probably would've never heard of the Alabama outfit. At first citing his lack of desire for the game of basketball, Jordan would later reveal that it was in tribute to his slain father that he tried his hand at baseball. While he never made it to the Bigs, Jordan did hit three home runs during his tenure with the Barons. Don't hate.
$20 million+ yearly salaries would likely be non-existent.
Though he was yet to raise a banner with the Chicago Bulls, the organization must've had few qualms about offering Jordan an eight-year/$25 million deal back in 1988. This contract was a game changer at the time and would set a benchmark that would only escalate to the exurbanite salaries we see NBA players collect today.
The Chicago Bulls would not be one of the NBA's most storied franchises.
Having never won an NBA championship, and only qualifying for the playoffs twice between 1976 and 1984, the future looked bleak for the Chicago Bulls. They narrowly missed out on Magic Johnson during the '79 NBA Draft, and must've thought things couldn't get any worse. Enter Michael Jordan.
The Bulls selected MJ with the third overall pick in the '84 Draft, and he would go on to lead them to six NBA titles, starting in 1991 under the Zen Master himself, Phil Jackson. Jordan transformed the Bulls into perennial playoff contenders, and one of the most sought after free agent destinations. Not to mention the influence he had on Chicago natives, Derrick Rose and Dwyane Wade.
The formula for a winning team would still start with a dominant big, rather than a dynamic guard.
George Mikan, Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, this was widely regarded as the key to success for an NBA franchise. Until Michael Jordan stepped onto the scene. The GOAT literally changed the way owners, GM's, and coaches looked at the blueprint for success in charting a path to NBA glory. The versatile guard became the key ingredient for success in the NBA, and Michael Jordan and Phil Jackson started the movement.
The NBA wouldn't have expanded its global reach until Kobe and LeBron entered the league.
Michael Jordan's virtuoso style of play, confident swagger, and all-around clutchness directly contributed to the NBA becoming the global brand it is today. Jordan made the game popular and enticed the casual fan to come watch the game. Due in large part to his endorsement deals with globally recognized brands, Jordan took the NBA to unparalleled heights in the '80s and '90's, and laid the groundwork for its continued expansion today.
Major networks would not be clamoring over NBA TV deals.
CBS' last year as the NBA's over-the-air-carrier came in 1990. Starting in 1991, NBC became the NBA's network, and Jordan became their greatest asset. The Bulls-Suns Finals of 1993 set the record at the time for the highest Nielsen rating at 17.9, a mark that would only be eclipsed by the '98 Finals between the Bulls and the Jazz. These series' contributed to the brouhaha we have today between the networks to broadcast these hyped contests. In its most recent deal back in 2007, the NBA signed extensions with major networks (ESPN and Turner Sports) to receive $930 million a year for all its broadcast rights. Damn.
Major athlete endorsement deals would not be nearly as prominent as they are today.
When Gatorade decided to enter into a 10-year/$13 million contract with Michael Jordan in 1991, the entire sporting and advertising world was turned on its head. But Gatorade and Jordan, like so many forward thinkers before them, knew exactly what they were doing. This deal might have been incomprehensible at the time, but then those "Be like Mike" commercials hit, and the rest as they say, is history.
Multiple Hall of Famers would have won championships.
Patrick Ewing, John Stockton, Charles Barkley, Karl Malone. What do these guys all have in common? That's right, if it weren't for the heroics of Michael Jordan and the Bulls during the '90s, these Hall of Famers surely would be able to add NBA champion to their resumes. As it stands, they all had storied careers and boast well above average numbers, but we're sure that if asked they would give their left arm to hoist the Larry O'Brien trophy just once.