SPORTS ILLUSTRATED
FLASHBACKS
Sports Illustrated has been with Michael Jordan from his not-so-humble
beginnings as a freshman at North Carolina through his reign in Chicago, his Wizardry in Washington and now his third and (dare we say) final farewell NBA game. Relive the career of the greatest basketball
player ever in SI's Michael Jordan Flashbacks.
April 5, 1982
Nothing Could Be Finer Than to be with Carolina after it had at last won the big one for Dean Smith,
beating Georgetown
63-62 By Curry Kirkpatrick
November 28, 1983
A Towering Twosome No other pair in the college game is at the level of Sam Perkins and
Michael By Curry Kirkpatrick
December 10,
1984
In The Driver's Seat
Rookie Michael Jordan has quickly become Chicago's big wheel and the NBA's big
deal at the box
office By Alexander
Wolff
November 17, 1986
Ready . . . Set . . . Levitate! Midair is the lofty realm of Chicago's Michael Jordan, and he has lifted the
Bulls off to a stratospheric start By Rick
Telander
November 9, 1987
In An Orbit All His Own Whether he's pouring in points or putting together business deals, high-flying
Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls is out of this world By Curry Kirkpatrick
Air Jordan, Air Bulls Michael Jordan soared, and some of his teammates even went aloft, too, as
Chicago grounded Cleveland in the playoffs By Jack McCallum
August 14, 1989
Sink, Blast You!
The putts don't all drop for Michael Jordan, but he wants to try the Tour
someday By E.M. Swift
November 6,
1989
Mission Impossible
No one shuts down Michael Jordan, but the champion Detroit Pistons have
developed an intricate defensive system, called the Jordan Rules, that comes
close to containing him By Jack
McCallum
December 17, 1990
Helping Hands
The Chicago Bulls try, again, to ease Michael Jordan's load By Jack
McCallum
June 24, 1991
Shining Moment
Michael Jordan dazzled as the Chicago Bulls won their first NBA title
By Jack
McCallum
December 23,
1991
The Everywhere Man
The consummate player and the ultimate showman, Michael Jordan has captivated
America and is about to conquer the world alone on the mountaintop Michael
Jordan, a singular sportsman and athlete, stands at the pinnacle of his game
By Jack
McCallum
June 22,
1992
Reaching for
Greatness
Chicago beat Portland for its second straight NBA title, but do the Bulls belong
among the league's alltime elite? By Jack
McCallum
June 28,
1993
They're History
In a memorable series, the Bulls defeated the Suns for their third straight
title and joined the NBA's alltime elite By Jack
McCallum
November 22,
1993
The Jordan Heirs
There may be life after Michael, but the Bulls are struggling to find
it By Phil Taylor
March 14, 1994
Err Jordan
Try as he might, Michael Jordan has found baseball beyond his grasp
By Steve
Wulf
September 19,
1994
Michael
Jordan
From the Sports Illustrated 40th Anniversary Issue By Jack
McCallum
March 27,
1995
Resurrection
Michael Jordan's return to the NBA was greeted like the second coming, even if
his play at times was ragged By Phil Taylor
Vintage
After they had subdued the surprisingly feisty Sonics for their fourth NBA title
in six years, the Bulls popped their corks over their record-setting '95-96
season By Phil
Taylor
June 23,
1997
To the Top
By winning a fifth NBA title, the Bulls attained the imperial stature of the
Celtics' and the Lakers' dynasties By Phil
Taylor
June 22,
1998
Six Shooter
Saving his best for what may not be his last, the magnificent Michael Jordan coolly broke Utah's heart and led the Bulls to another title By Phil
Taylor
January 25,
1999
Indelible Impression
Images of Michael Jordan's sublimeness on the basketball court will be forever stamped into America's consciousness. An SI writer who covered Jordan for most of his NBA career remembers the greatest player in history as a joy to watch, a careful cultivator of his own image and, often, a down-to-earth guy By Jack McCallum
November 12,
2001
Lift Off
In the first week of his comeback Michael Jordan shot poorly, passed deftly and launched a new era for the young Wizards By Jack McCallum
January 14,
2002
Three's A Charm
In his third incarnation, Michael Jordan is showing that he can still perform feats of magic -- like turning the Wizards into winners By L. Jon Wertheim
February 17,
2003
Going Out In Style
As Michael Jordan's 40th birthday approached, the NBA's finest turned out in Atlanta to celebrate his myriad achievements (and to squeeze in an All-Star Game) By Jack McCallum
