For an entire generation of fans, basketball became more than just a game in the 90s. And at the center of it all stood Michael Jordan. His Airness changed the trajectory of the sport, and to this day remains the gold standard in basketball excellence. Now, on his 63rd birthday, we celebrate greatness.

Some moments are etched in everyone’s minds: the tongue out, the ‘Last Shot’, the emotions spilling over after winning his first championship. For those who watched it live, these memories never fade, and for everyone else, they’ve become basketball folklore. We look back at the moments that made No. 23 unforgettable.

Editor’s note: The following moments are presented in no particular order.

A heavenly performance against the Celtics

Playing in just his second year in the NBA, Michael Jordan received praise of the highest order from legend Larry Bird. On April 20, 1986, MJ would drop 63 points vs. the eventual champions Celtics, the still-standing NBA playoff record for points in a single game. Jordan was returning from a broken foot, still wasn’t feeling 100%, and yet would dominate one of the best teams in NBA history.

Bird, as mentioned, paid Jordan the highest compliment with his memorable comparison of the latter to God himself. “I didn’t think anyone was capable of doing what Michael has done to us,” Larry Bird marveled. “He is the most exciting, awesome player in the game today. I think it’s just God disguised as Michael Jordan.”

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In Game 2 of the Eastern Conference First Round, the Celtics still won in double-overtime, 135-131, but had no answer for His Airness. Jordan played 53 minutes, scoring 63 points, shooting 22-of-41 from the field, and further contributed 5 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks. He surpassed the previous mark that Elgin Baylor set in 1962.

The praise surprised Michael Jordan, and he felt honored that a player of Bird’s stature recognized his ability. But the Bulls superstar still wasn’t feeling great afterward. Despite the record-breaking feat, the only thing His Airness cared about was the victory, which the Bulls failed to get. “Fifty points, 49 points, 63 points, I just want to win again,” Jordan said. “The points don’t mean anything to me.”

His Airness is crowned champion for the 7th time

Michael Jordan last won the championship in 1998 and last competed on the hardwood in 2003. But since 2020, he has been waiting to win the title as the 23XI Racing owner. Now, Jordan is a race-winning owner in the Daytona 500, and his NASCAR success is starting to gain steam.

“I can’t even believe it,” Jordan said. “Look, I’m ecstatic. I don’t even know what to say. It feels like I won a championship, but until I get my ring, I won’t even know.” The Bulls legend spoke about winning the 2026 Daytona 500 and compared it to winning an NBA championship. “It’s like winning a championship, like a huge championship,” Jordan said to The Athletic from Daytona’s Victory Lane. “Unbelievable.”

Michael Jordan called the game with “Last Shot”

On June 14, 1998, the second three-peat was on the line, and MJ didn’t need an invitation to take responsibility. It was Game 6 of the NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz team led by Karl Malone and John Stockton. The Bulls were trailing by one, and Malone had possession inside the paint with 20 seconds left for the buzzer.

Michael Jordan chopped away from Malone and went forward, even refusing to call a timeout. He brought the ball up the court, and as the clock ticked toward five seconds. Then he drove hard to the right as he was under pressure from Bryon Russell. A quick pivot to the left and Russell was on the ground as Jordan rose for a 20-foot jumper.

With just 5.2 seconds on the clock, it secured an 87-86 victory. The celebration of winning the sixth was as emotional as winning the first. Jordan would point six fingers to the crowd and shared an emotional embrace with coach Phil Jackson. The coach said, “That was beautiful, what a finish.” Once again, Jordan won the Finals MVP for a record sixth time, as he led all scorers by averaging 33.5 points per game, including 45 in the deciding Game 6.

The “Flu Game” adds another chapter of valor to Michael Jordan’s history books

The pressure of playing in the Finals, that too in Salt Lake City, with the series tied 2-2. Before Game 5, Jordan faced severe food poisoning, which was termed a ‘flu-like’ symptom. Throughout the game, he was dehydrated and exhausted, and yet led the Bulls to victory.

MJ scored 38 points, but it wasn’t an easy watch. Michael Jordan looked lost in the first quarter, then scored 17 points in the second. He struggled in the third, then flickered on in the fourth to score seven points during a 10-0 run. That’s why His Airness called it his most difficult game, as he was not only battling his rivals.

“Probably the most difficult thing I’ve ever done,” Jordan said afterward. “I almost played myself into passing out just to win a basketball game.” Even head coach Phil Jackson was in awe. “This was a heroic effort, one to add to the collection of efforts that make up his legend.”

“The Shrug” against the league narrative

Throughout the years, if there was any mediocre aspect of his MJ’s shooting, that would be his three-pointers. In the 1991-92 season, he made just 27 percent of them, and yet it all came through in Game 1 of the 1992 Finals. Usually, Jordan didn’t need extra motivation, but there were reports that Blazers Clyde Drexler should be the league’s MVP. But with six 3-pointers in the first half, His Airness shrugged his shoulders to remind everyone of his absolute dominance.

His six three-pointers were a Finals record for a half, same for his 35 points (Jordan finished with 39). Clyde Drexler had just 16 points in Game 1. The Bulls eventually won in six games, and Drexler outscored Jordan in only one game.

“Shots started dropping from everywhere,” said Jordan after Chicago’s 122-89 win, “I started running for the 3-point line. It felt like a free throw, really.” After connecting on his sixth 3-pointer of the night over defender Cliff Robinson, Jordan turned to the scorer’s table and shook his head three times. Then, as he jogged back down the court, he employed a simple shrug of his shoulders.

“Let me tell you, I surprised them as much as I surprised you and myself, the way I was shooting today,” said Jordan. “I had to ride the wave when I had it, and everyone picked up on it.”

First NBA Championship

Before winning his first championship, Michael Jordan had firmly established himself as one of the greats of the game. Scoring title, steals leader, and DPOY were all the single accolades he had under his belt. But these titles became the fuel for other people to question if MJ could finally win the championship. Add to this the narrative that Michael Jordan couldn’t beat the Pistons.

The Pistons won Game 7 in the previous year’s conference final. But this off-season, Jordan bulked up and was ready for extra physicality from the Bad Boys. In the 90-91 season, the Bulls swept away the Pistons and were ready to take on the Showtime Lakers. And after all the noise of MJ being too dominating and hat his teammates weren’t tough or brave enough, the Bulls got the job done.

At the end of the seventh NBA season, at the age of 28, Michael Jordan was finally a champion. A tearful Jordan embraced the championship trophy in his locker stall in Los Angeles with his father and best friend, James, by his side.

Even Magic Johnson came to the Bulls locker room to acknowledge the greatness. “He came into our locker room, gave me the biggest hug,” Jordan recalled of that poignant moment that came after the Bulls triumphed over the Lakers in five games. “He congratulated me, and he didn’t have to do it from a competitive standpoint.“But he understood what it meant, he understood the respect of it. That, ‘Okay, you’re entered into this club. This Larry Bird – Magic Johnson club.’”

Michael Jordan came back as if he never left

On March 18, following months of speculation and much fanfare, Jordan declared, “I’m back.” During his first retirement, he would move away from basketball and pursue baseball to honor his father. In his fifth game back after his 18-month hiatus, MJ still showed why he was so dominant.

Called The double nickel at Madison Square Garden, Michael Jordan dropped 55 points and even assisted Bill Wennington for a layup to win the game.

Jordan shot 21-of-37 from the field and 13-of-13 from the free-throw line. In 17 late regular-season games, Jordan averaged 26.9 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.3 assists. The only change was his jersey number #45; the competitive MJ remained the same.

First steps before dominating the NBA

A 19-year-old North Carolina freshman, Michael Jordan, made a 16-foot jump shot with 15 seconds left to give the Tar Heels a 63-62 win over Georgetown for the NCAA Tournament championship. MJ admitted that it gave him the confidence he needed to excel at basketball. That play was designed for him to finish.

“He (Dean Smith) was drawing up a play for James (Worthy),” Jordan said in The Last Dance doc. “And he says when you get the ball, swing it back, swing it around, Michael should have a shot. He looked at me and said if you get the shot, take the shot. He gave me the green light. I caught it in total rhythm. They had no clue that I was gonna take that shot.”

7-foot center Patrick Ewing, who led all scorers with 28 points, led Georgetown. Jordan finished with 16 points while shooting 7-of-13 from the field. “That turned my name from Mike to Michael Jordan. It gave me the confidence that I needed to start to excel at the game of basketball.”

Beating Dominique Wilkins

The 1988 All-Star Weekend was in the Chicago Bulls‘ home stadium. Jordan recovered from a broken foot and was ready to serve the home fans with some entertainment. He faced his archenemy, Dominique Wilkins. The two had faced each other in 1985, and it was Wilkins who came out on top. And three years later, he was once again in the driving seat.

The two showcased some of their finest, nicest, and cleanest dunks ever seen. Wilkins even made two straight 50 points, but his final shot scored a 45. If you ask Jordan, he’d say that shot also deserved a 50. MJ had 50 in his first attempt and 47 in the second. For the final attempt, Michael Jordan needed 48 to tie and 49 to win.

The crowd was on their feet, waiting for His Airness to once again clutch the show. Running from the opposite end of the floor, leaped from the free-throw line, double-clutched midair, and made a memorable shot. Thus, he got a perfect score and claimed the slam dunk title.

The rise of sneaker culture

Before MJ’s contract with Nike, the athletes were mere brand ambassadors. Adidas, Converse, and Nike all pitched to MJ even before he stepped foot on the court in the NBA. But it was the latter that was willing to go the distance. Converse already had Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, so Jordan knew he wouldn’t get the required treatment.

But Nike was all-in and even agreed to pay royalties to the Bulls icon. They offered Jordan a five-year deal worth $500,000 a year, unheard of for a rookie. Plus, a signature line that would become the norm for many athletes and celebrities. The Air Jordan 1 got the hype as it was bright red and black, flashy and bold. But the NBA didn’t and claimed that it broke the uniform rules and banned it from games.

Later, the brand turned it into a marketing campaign. The shoes flew off the shelves. Nike had expected to sell $3 million worth in the first year. They sold $126 million instead. Since then, the Air Jordan line evolved and risen alongside his success. Every new release became a cultural moment.