Michael Jordan Career Highlights (Hall of Fame 2009) [HD]

From the moment he set foot on an NBA court, Michael Jordan dominated his sport like few athletes ever had. He electrified crowds with his skill and style. He turned the Chicago Bulls into a dynasty with six championships in eight years. And in 15 seasons with the Bulls and Wizards, he would transcend the game of basketball, becoming one of the most recognizable athletes in the world. Not bad for a player who was once cut from his high school team. But that didn't stop Michael. In fact, nothing ever did. And after soaring to the top of the NBA, there was never a doubt that Air Jordan would one day land in the Basketball Hall of Fame. It's easy to understand why many consider Michael Jordan the greatest player in basketball history. But describing what made him so great isn't so simple. You know, I have the greatest respect for Michael because he put his heart and soul on the court every night. You know, just watching him dribble up that court and looking you right in the eye and not knowing what he's going to do is the scariest thing you ever want to be involved in. He just made you wish that for one day that you could fly in the air. You wonder what it would be like. It was as a freshman at the University of North Carolina that Michael burst onto the national stage. A one-point lead. John Jordan! Michael Jordan! North Carolina has won the 1982 NCAA championship. The biggest shot in North Carolina history for a first-year guy to come up and be that willing to take that shot and to make it really just boosted him on to the career that he had. Michael would become a two-time college player of the year. And his high-flying exploits dazzled fans across the country. Soon as I got in the dressing room, Michael comes running in and grabs me. Coach, coach. I said, well, yeah, what, you OK? He said, I hope that dunk wasn't too flashy. I said, what dunk? He said, the one I just did at the end. I guess that is a pretty fitting end of the ballgame. Jordan, look at that! Probably something I told him is don't embarrass people with that. Drafted by the Bulls with the third overall pick in 1984, he was an instant sensation. Can cut it to one if they score. Jordan down the middle, all the way. Our first day of practice, one of our assistants called me after the practice and said, I don't think you screwed the draft up this year. It's an effort by Jordan, who has it on the break. Driving all the way in. The one highlight I always remember in my mind is the one down in Atlanta. And he kind of gives a little ball fake. And then, boom, he's at the rim. And he dunks on top of everybody. Dumped it out to Jordan, down the lane, all the way. Michael Jordan was doing things that you never even thought you'd see. You couldn't imagine seeing it. Whatever you paid to see Michael Jordan, it wasn't enough. You knew that every night out there, you were going to get the greatest concert of your life. Michael Jordan is sort of the hip hop version of Dr. J. He'd come in, and he'd walk in the air. He'd fly sideways, and he'd tongue out. Look at the air. Look at the hang time. Look at the flying motion. Every year, he came back, and he was better. He was stronger. He was quicker. He shot the ball better. He added three-point range. Chart right to Jordan. Time winding down. Michael for three. Oh, yeah! Yes, yes! Soon, he began to make his mark when it counted most in the postseason. 63 for Jordan, a new NBA set in the Boston Garden. The inbounds pass comes into Jordan. Here's Michael at the foul line. A shot on Elo. Good! The Bulls win it! His basketball brilliance was captivating fans not just across the country, but around the world, as Jordan had become a global icon. Sometimes I dream that he is me. I just want to be like Chuck, I mean, Mike. As a member of the fabled 1992 Dream Team, he won his second Olympic gold medal. But his most unforgettable performances would take place on the NBA stage, where he turned the finals into his own personal showcase. Seconds to go in the shot clock. 15 in a ballgame. Michael will take it. He's fouled. He scores! But in 1993, after the tragic loss of his father, Michael stunned the basketball world by announcing his retirement. After 18 months away from the game, he decided to return to the hardwood. And when he resumed his career, he and the Bulls continued making history. The Chicago Bulls have regained the NBA throne. And for Michael Jordan, the king returns. An emotional moment on this Father's Day for Michael Jordan. You know, I can't even put it in words. My father's just what he is to me. This is my daddy. MJ, top of the circle against Russell. Michael hangs, foul against Russell. 12 seconds. 11, 10. Jordan, Jordan a drive. Hangs, fires. He scores! The Bulls lead 87-86, the Chicago Bulls. I guess the lasting image I would have of Michael is his smile and his total dominance at both ends of the floor. When you start thinking about all that he did, to me he's the greatest player to ever play. Winning is hard to do. It's a price that you pay for it. And that's how I saw Michael as a player, as somebody that wanted to prove that he's a winner every day. My final memory of Michael is following through on that shot and making it a great extension. That moment when you knew the shot was going in and just that look when he turned around and came back towards the bench and his teammates went over to him and they were coming back as a group. That's the memory that sticks with me the most.