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Michael Jordan oozed class during his playing days. Since the day ‘His Airness’ stepped foot in the league, he quickly cemented himself as a bonafide NBA superstar. In fact, in only his third year in the NBA, Jordan enjoyed one of the finest seasons of his legendary career.
Following a sophomore season in which he fractured his foot, Jordan had the entire NBA universe in a spell during the 1986-87 campaign. He enamored onlookers with his offensive brilliance and blew them away as he glided up and down the floor. The Chicago Bulls legend put up monstrous stats, averaging 37.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.6 assists.
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The world also got a glimpse of his superhuman athleticism and panache when he competed in the 1987 Slam Dunk contest. Jordan entered the contest as one of the favorites to take the trophy home at the end of the evening. Several other great flashy dunkers also took part in the contest, including Clyde Drexler and Terence Stansbury.
Michael Jordan takes the Dunk Contest by storm!
The 1987 Slam Dunk Contest begins now on @NBATV! #Dunkathon pic.twitter.com/ZuTJA7V8X6
— NBA TV (@NBATV) February 11, 2016
It was MJ, though, who went on to conquer the evening. In fact, it was this night when he unleashed his iconic free-throw line dunk and went ‘Air Jordan’ on everyone.
No one in the building was prepared for what Michael Jordan was about to execute. Not even his father, James Jordan.
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While gearing up for his free throw line dunk, the Chicago Bulls icon took several steps back towards the opposite side of the floor, prepping for a lengthy run-up. Hilariously, MJ’s father thought that his son was going to walk out of the building.
James Jordan was in the audience witnessing his son dominate the evening with his slams. As MJ prepared for his run-up, someone sitting next to James asked him if he knew what his son was doing. To this, he replied, “I thought he was going out the gym.”
Fair to say, James must have heaved a sigh of relief as his son didn’t walk out of the arena. Matter of fact, Jordan went on to drain the gravity out of the building as he threw down his free-throw line dunk.
However, his left foot was on the line, so it wasn’t a clean take-off from the charity stripe. Regardless, what Jordan executed was an embodiment of athleticism, power, and elegance.
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"Looked like he was in an F-16 that time."
Michael Jordan shut down the dunk contest with his iconic free-throw line dunk 35 years ago today 🤯 pic.twitter.com/ENlBdQekIL
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 7, 2022
The dunk did not even achieve a perfect score, receiving a 49. Nonetheless, Michael Jordan went on to win the 1987 Slam Dunk Contest and define himself as the man who can fly.
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Which of Michael Jordan’s Slam Dunk contest dunks is your favorite? Let us know in the comments section below.
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Ritvik Malhotra
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