Michael Jordan, the greatest player in the history of the NBA, turns 50 on February 17, 2013. Jordan's time with the Chicago Bulls is unprecedented. He compiles five NBA MVP awards, six NBA Finals MVP awards, 10 scoring titles, makes 14 NBA All-Star teams, 11 All-NBA teams and changes the way the game is played forever. The following is his remarkable career in photos.
March 29, 1982 - Jordan knocks down jumper from the left wing to deliver North Carolina to 1982 NCAA Championship, beating Patrick Ewing and Georgetown, putting him in the national consciousness.
March 1984: Named AP Player of the Year at North Carolina. Wins first gold medal at Olympics averaging 17.1 points per game, leading a team of future NBA stars including Knicks great Patrick Ewing of Georgetown and Warriors five-time All Star Chris Mullin of St. John's. The team is coached by Bobby Knight.
June 19, 1984 - Drafted by Chicago Bulls. Strangely he is not the No. 1 overall pick as the Portland Trail Blazers take Kentucky's Sam Bowie in perhaps the greatest draft day slip up of all time.
1985 - Jordan makes his first NBA All-Star Game, which is a little bumpy as a grounp of veterans - led by rival Isiah Thomas of the Detroit Pistons execute a freeze-out to make sure Jordan doesn't steal the show. Later that season, he is named NBA Rookie of the Year.
April 20, 1986 - After struggling through a broken foot during a sophomore campaign in which he plays just 18 regular season games, Jordan's coming out party is in the playoffs. He torches Danny Aine (l.) and a parade of Celtics defenders and carries Chicago to double overtime against the eventual NBA champion in Boston, but the Bulls fall in Game 2, 135-131. After the game, Hall of Famer Larry Bird says that it was 'God disguised as Michael Jordan.'
February 7, 1987 - Wins NBA Slam Dunk Contest for first time, repeats in 1988 in epic clash with Dominique Wilkins.
1987 - Leads NBA in scoring for first time averaging an insanely high 37.1 points per game - the highest scoring clip of his career. He averages over 30 points per game over eight times. He goes on to win his first MVP award in 1989 as media intensity increases around him.
May 7, 1989 - What is simply known as 'The Shot' Jordan drains one of the most famous buzzer beaters in NBA history, clinching a playoff series win over Craig Ehlo and the Cleveland Cavaliers. The basket is said to change the course of the two franchises forever. The lasting image is a jubilant Jordan leaping and punmping his fist as the Cavs' Craig Ehlo crumples to the ground.
1989 - Even after "The Shot" Jordan struggles to get past Isiah Thomas and the Detroit Pistons. When Jordan finally gets the bets of the "Bad Boys" Thomas organizes a childish walk-out, leading the Pistons off the court before they shake hands. At that moment, he made a blood enemy in Jordan. And history teaches us you don't want to be Jordan's enemy.
June 5, 1991 - After falling behind in the NBA finals to Magic Johnson's Los Angeles Lakers, Jordan makes one of the most spectacular plays of his career. Going up to attempt a dunk, Jordan sees Lakers center Sam Perkins (l.) - his former North Carolina teammate - coming at him. In midair, Jordan switches to his left hand for what is now one of the most famous layups in NBA history. The Bulls do not lose again.
June 12, 1991 - It's not so much a passing of the torch as it is Jordan yanking it away from Magic Johnson and the Lakers. Jordan's 30-point, 10-assist, 5-steal performance clinches his first NBA title.
June 12, 1991 - After securing his first title, Jordan hugs the Larry O'Brien trophy.
1992 - It seems Jordan gets pleasure out of terrorizing the Knicks. Time after time, he breaks their hearts in the postseason.
June 3, 1992 - The Bulls go 67-15 during the regular season, but the 1992 NBA Finals is where Jordan again makes an unforgettable memory. After hearing comparisons to the Blazers' Clyde Drexler heading into the NBA Finals, Jordan torches Drexler for an NBA Finals record 35 first-half points, including six 3-pointers. After his sixth make, Jordan looked over to the announcers table and shrugs. The Bulls go on to win Game 1 - and another title in six games while he averages 35.8 points per game on 53 percent shooting from the field.
June 1992 - Jordan is never compared to Drexler again.
1992 - In a series that all along seemed an inevitablility, Jordan wins his second title.
July 5 - Wins second gold medal as part of USA "Dream Team." Strangely he is second on the team in scoring (14.9 ppg) to his friend Charles Barkley (18.0).
May 25, 1993 - Jordan seems to be riding high, but a New York Times report that Jordan goes gambling in Atlantic City, N.J., before a Game 2 loss to the Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Bulls fall in an 0-2 hole, but Jordan, even with his late-night antics (he was reportedly seen in the casino as late as 2:30 a.m.) scores 36 points in 39 minutes. The Bulls win four straight and the series, and Game 5 will live on forever as "The Charles Smith Game."
June 20, 1993 - Wins third straight championship, beating Barkley's (r.) Phoenix Suns in an epic six game series.
October 6, 1993 - Jordan retires from the NBA. But hold that thought.
March 31, 1994 - Signs contract to play for the Chicago White Sox. He bats .202 with the Birmingham Barons, Chicago's Double-A affiliate.
March 18, 1995 - Sends a two-word press release: "I'm back." to signify his return to the NBA and the Bulls. He wears a very unfamiliar jersey number however: 45. It is the number he wears during his short-lived baseball career (his No. 23 is retired by the Bulls).
March 19, 1995 - Wearing a now infamous No. 45 jersey, he plays in first NBA game since retiring and scores 19 points in an 103-96 overtime loss to the Indiana Pacers.
March 28, 1995 - The torment of the Knicks continues. In the "Double Nickel" game, Jordan goes off for 55 points at Madison Square Garden in his sixth game back from retirment. But it is his final play - a pass to Bill Wennington for a dunk - that sinks the Knicks.
May 18, 1995 - The Bulls go 13-4 to close out the regular season with Jordan back in the lineup, but fall to Shaquille O'Neal (l.) and the Orlando Magic in six games in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
1996 - After signing the mercurial but incredibly effective Dennis Rodman (r.), Jordan's Bulls post the best regular season in NBA history, going 72-10, which begins with a ridiculous 41-3 record through 44 games. At the end, it's another NBA title for the Bulls and another Finals MVP for Jordan in his first full season since retiring.
June 11, 1997 - The Bulls go 69-13, missing the 70-win mark by losing their final two regular season games, but Jordan leads them to another NBA title, this time over Dream Team teammates John Stockton and regular season MVP Karl Malone of the Utah Jazz. Game 5 of the Finals is known as "The Flu Game" as Jordan is bed-ridden with the series tied 2-2. He summoned the strength to play Game 5, against trainers orders, and scores 38 points - including a clutch 3-pointer with 25 seconds left that ends up deciding the game.
June 14, 1998 - Another stellar regular season, another MVP award and another trip to the NBA Finals. In the clinching Game 6 in Utah, Jordan scores four points and grabs a steal in the final 41.9 seconds of the game to deliver the Bulls to an 87-86 win to complete his second three-peat. He finishes with 45 points and the famous image is of Jordan holding his pose after shaking (pushing) off Bryon Russell. It is his final shot in a Bulls uniform.
January 13, 1999 - Jordan retires from the NBA and the Bulls for a second time. But he hardly fades into the background.
January 19 - Jordan buys a stake in the Washington Wizards and is named President of Basketball Operations.
June 27 - Jordan selects Kwame Brown (l.) - one of the biggest busts in NBA history - No. 1 overall while controlling the Wizards. Brown is taken over future NBA All Stars Tyson Chandler, Pau Gasol, Joe Johnson, Zach Randolph, Gerald Wallace, Tony Parker and Gilbert Arenas. The pairing of Brown and Jordan does not work out.
Sept 25, 2001 - Jordan announces he will return to the NBA and play for the Wizards while donating his salary to the relief efforts dedicated to recovery from the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Dec. 29, 2003 - Becomes the oldest player to score 50 points in a game against the Charlotte Hornets. He scores 51 points at age 38 (315 days).
February 9, 2003 - Jordan plays in his final NBA All-Star Game and passes Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the exhibition's career scoring leader (a record since broken by Kobe Bryant). Mariah Carey (r.) also grabs some attention for her Jordan-themed dress.
February 21, 2003 - Becomes oldest player to score 40 points in a game as he scores 43 against the Nets, just four days after his 40th birthday.
April 17, 2003 - Retires for the third and final time, this time from the Washington Wizards. On May 7, Jordan ousted as president of Wizards basketball operations, saying he was "betrayed" by owner Abe Pollin.
Sept. 11, 2009 - During his induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame, Jordan gets emotional at the start, but quickly shifts gears and uses his speech to belittle those who taunted and doubted him throughout his career.
Feb 27, 2012 - Reaches deal to buy Charlotte Bobcats from Bob Johnson. During the lockout-shortened 2011-12 season, Jordan's Bobcats go 7-59 for a paltry .106 winning percentage, the lowest in league history.