Veteran center Bill Cartwright joined the
team, replacing the aging Corzine in the starting lineup, and both Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant were beginning to play
like All-Stars.
Then, in 1989, the Bulls replaced coach Doug Collins with Phil Jackson. Jackson tinkered with the Bulls offense and installed
a half-court game to complement the Bulls fast break. While it took the team most of the 1989–90 season to learn the new setup,
the benefits were clear. Michael Jordan still led the league in scoring in both 1988–89 and 1989–90, but for the first time
since he had joined the team, everyone in the starting lineup averaged in double figures. The Bulls were becoming more than
a one-man team.
But nothing the Bulls did in the regular season made much of a difference when they reached the playoffs. Each year, they
had to play the Pistons. The Bulls just couldn’t figure out a way to beat Detroit.
Yet Chicago improved ever so slightly each year. The Pistons defeated the Bulls in four straight games in the 1988–89 playoffs,
but in the 1989–90matchup, Chicago pushed Detroit to a full seven games. Detroit won the NBA championship each time — but the Bulls were drawing
closer.
Winning an NBA championship was important to Michael Jordan. That was all that separated him from Magic Johnson and Larry
Bird. Observers had noted many times that while Michael was the best individual player in the game, he didn’t seem to be the
best
team
player. He knew that until the Bulls won a championship, he would always be criticized.
Out on the asphalt and concrete courts of public opinion, Michael was already the champion. He was easily the most popular
player in the game, particularly with kids. From the glass-strewn outdoor courts of the inner city, to the polished wood surfaces
of suburban high school gyms, to dirt-packed backyard courts like his own Rack, Michael Jordan was the most popular player
of all time. Young and old, black and white, male and female, everyone with even a passing interest in basketball loved Michael
Jordan.
Yet his widespread popularity was a double-edged sword. On the one hand, doing what he loved best made him wealthy beyond
his wildest dreams. Michael Jordan basketball shoes, Air Jordans, arethe best-selling sneakers of all time. His contract with Nike, the manufacturer, is worth over $20 million. In 1989, the Bulls
renegotiated his contract and gave Michael an eight-year contract worth $25 million. At the time, it was the biggest contract
in the history of professional basketball. The Bulls set a new attendance record nearly every season and they were the most
popular team on the road. Michael formed his own corporations and employed his parents and other members of his family. He
was able to build James and Deloris a new house and give them new cars. He contributed thousands of dollars to charities and
met presidents and world-famous entertainers.
But as Michael Jordan became more and more famous, it became difficult for him to live like other people. When the Bulls arrived
in a city, Michael had to check in to the hotel under an assumed name. Usually, the team even had to post a guard at his door
to keep fans from breaking in. If he tried to leave his room to go shopping, he was mobbed by autograph-seeking fans. It was
almost impossible for Michael to do the things the rest of us take for granted, like take a walk on a nice spring day, sit
in arestaurant and eat a meal, or even go down to the park on the corner and shoot some hoops. He was just too popular.
All that attention might make people bigheaded. But not Michael Jordan. His old friends and family say that despite his fame
and wealth, he is the same person. Whenever possible, he goes out of his way to help others. Michael is friendly with his
teammates off the court. He doesn’t act as if he’s better than they are. And once in a while, Michael will sneak out of a
hotel and duck into a
team, replacing the aging Corzine in the starting lineup, and both Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant were beginning to play
like All-Stars.
Then, in 1989, the Bulls replaced coach Doug Collins with Phil Jackson. Jackson tinkered with the Bulls offense and installed
a half-court game to complement the Bulls fast break. While it took the team most of the 1989–90 season to learn the new setup,
the benefits were clear. Michael Jordan still led the league in scoring in both 1988–89 and 1989–90, but for the first time
since he had joined the team, everyone in the starting lineup averaged in double figures. The Bulls were becoming more than
a one-man team.
But nothing the Bulls did in the regular season made much of a difference when they reached the playoffs. Each year, they
had to play the Pistons. The Bulls just couldn’t figure out a way to beat Detroit.
Yet Chicago improved ever so slightly each year. The Pistons defeated the Bulls in four straight games in the 1988–89 playoffs,
but in the 1989–90matchup, Chicago pushed Detroit to a full seven games. Detroit won the NBA championship each time — but the Bulls were drawing
closer.
Winning an NBA championship was important to Michael Jordan. That was all that separated him from Magic Johnson and Larry
Bird. Observers had noted many times that while Michael was the best individual player in the game, he didn’t seem to be the
best
team
player. He knew that until the Bulls won a championship, he would always be criticized.
Out on the asphalt and concrete courts of public opinion, Michael was already the champion. He was easily the most popular
player in the game, particularly with kids. From the glass-strewn outdoor courts of the inner city, to the polished wood surfaces
of suburban high school gyms, to dirt-packed backyard courts like his own Rack, Michael Jordan was the most popular player
of all time. Young and old, black and white, male and female, everyone with even a passing interest in basketball loved Michael
Jordan.
Yet his widespread popularity was a double-edged sword. On the one hand, doing what he loved best made him wealthy beyond
his wildest dreams. Michael Jordan basketball shoes, Air Jordans, arethe best-selling sneakers of all time. His contract with Nike, the manufacturer, is worth over $20 million. In 1989, the Bulls
renegotiated his contract and gave Michael an eight-year contract worth $25 million. At the time, it was the biggest contract
in the history of professional basketball. The Bulls set a new attendance record nearly every season and they were the most
popular team on the road. Michael formed his own corporations and employed his parents and other members of his family. He
was able to build James and Deloris a new house and give them new cars. He contributed thousands of dollars to charities and
met presidents and world-famous entertainers.
But as Michael Jordan became more and more famous, it became difficult for him to live like other people. When the Bulls arrived
in a city, Michael had to check in to the hotel under an assumed name. Usually, the team even had to post a guard at his door
to keep fans from breaking in. If he tried to leave his room to go shopping, he was mobbed by autograph-seeking fans. It was
almost impossible for Michael to do the things the rest of us take for granted, like take a walk on a nice spring day, sit
in arestaurant and eat a meal, or even go down to the park on the corner and shoot some hoops. He was just too popular.
All that attention might make people bigheaded. But not Michael Jordan. His old friends and family say that despite his fame
and wealth, he is the same person. Whenever possible, he goes out of his way to help others. Michael is friendly with his
teammates off the court. He doesn’t act as if he’s better than they are. And once in a while, Michael will sneak out of a
hotel and duck into a
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