Michael Jordan holds a reputation as the greatest player of all time. Drafted in 1984, MJ was selected with the third overall pick by the Chicago Bulls. He was a highly touted prospect and, as such, received massive deals, not just from the Bulls but from Nike as well. However, he never felt the weight of expectation. In fact, when he was well into his 30s, he returned to the NBA with the Washington Wizards, where he confirmed that he had no expectations as a 21-year-old.
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Jordan signed an entry-level contract in 1984 with the Bulls. It was a massive seven-year deal worth $6,300,000. On top of that, he signed his historic deal with Nike. One worth $2,500,000, and one that revolutionized the business of sports. Clearly, there were those who saw the talent in him. Nevertheless, MJ was always cool as a cucumber, never letting anything get to him, and was laser-focused throughout.
Michael Jordan claimed he had no expectations when he entered the NBA at the age of 21
In his late 30s, Michael Jordan was in the twilight of his career, playing for the Washington Wizards after coming out of retirement for the second time. During one particular press conference, Jordan was asked about the difference between coming to the Wizards in his 30s and joining the Bulls as a rookie.
An interesting question, and one that Jordan had an interesting answer to. Being the GOAT, expectations were high for His Airness’ arrival in Washington. On the other hand, he revealed that he had zero expectations put on him when he moved to Chicago. He was a 21-year-old rookie that, in his opinion, no one expected much from.
The reality of the situation is a bit different. He was selected third overall in 1984 and came out of the reputed program led by Dean Smith at North Carolina. So, to say that there were no expectations at all is an exaggeration. But, to his credit, the hype surrounding him as a prospect was diminished by Hakeem Olajuwon, the generational talent that everyone was raving about at the time.
In many ways, Jordan might be right. However, as the years went by, the expectations surrounding him grew. The more he won, the more he had to continue winning. It reached a point where the name Michael Jeffrey Jordan became synonymous with the term. So much so that it became what everyone expected every time he took to the court.
There is a clear difference in the expectations people had for MJ and LeBron James as rookies
Michael Jordan may not have had any expectations, but LeBron James certainly did. Coming into the NBA in 2003, James was labeled as the “Chosen One”. He was even compared to MJ. All this before their current situation, where they are both neck and neck for the title of GOAT.
That being said, it’s clear to see that King James was held on a higher pedestal when he entered the league. Something that also made him an easier target. A point that most Bron fans use when making a case for The King to take the throne of the greatest of all time.
That being said, at the end of the day, both Jordan and LeBron are two very different players. Both are great in their own right, but completely different. And, rather than being debated over, they both should be appreciated.
