For years, the Chicago Bulls were on top of the world. All throughout the 1990s, nobody could touch the Bulls. Obviously, their six championships in eight years are the first thing people think of, but past that, the sheer superstardom of Michael Jordan made the Bulls a worldwide brand. To this day, they are one of the most recognized brands on the planet.
On Thursday night, Jordan was entered as one of 13 players in the Bulls’ inaugural Ring of Honor class. Every person inducted had an essay written about them by someone with ties to the franchise or a relationship with the team.
For Jordan, that person was President Barack Obama, who has deep ties to Chicago. In his essay, Obama placed Jordan in an elite class of athletes, praising his impact on the sporting world. (H/t Julia Poe of the Chicago Tribune)
“There are only a handful of athletes in history — Ruth, Robinson, Ali — that can claim a comparable impact,” Obama wrote. “Michael Jordan shares that rare air. Not bad for a kid from Wilmington, North Carolina, who had once been cut by his high school varsity team.”
Unfortunately, Jordan wasn’t able to be there for the initial event, which took place at the gala on Thursday night. Neither Scottie Pippen nor Dennis Rodman was there either.
In his time with the Bulls, Jordan won six rings, made 14 All-Star teams, and won five MVPs, on top of a bunch of other accomplishments. His impact on the Bulls organization is monumental, and his impact on sports is just as great.
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