Not many NBA stars can match the success of Michael Jordan.
The legend of Jordan transcends genres, race, creed, and gender.
You know that he is different when even non-basketball fans can distinguish a Jordan poster even from a few feet away.
This is an attribute that is usually associated with popular brands and icons such as KFC's Colonel Sanders or the much-abused Che Guevarra hipster clothing line.
Born in the tough streets of Brooklyn, New York, Michael Jordan had his humble beginnings at Emsley A.
Laney High School.
Starting out his athletic career with a variety of sports such as baseball and football, he finally focused on basketball.
However, his first sojourn in the hardcourt was not that glorious.
In fact, he was rejected by the school's varsity team due to his, well, height.
His failure to make the school's sophomore team, however, did not deter his will to embark on a career in basketball.
He proved his worth in the school's junior team, boasting several 40-point games that impressed his peers.
The major turning point that led to his NBA career was his stint at the University of Carolina at Chapell Hill.
Due to his standout career in this school, he finally joined the NBA's Chicago Bulls in 1984.
The rest is history, as we know it.
Apart from his legendary airborne prowess in the hardcourt which earned him his nickname, Michael Jordan is an amazing team player.
He does not rely solely on histrionics.
His ability as a team player is excellent.
Even up to this day, his ability as a team player is still revered by his former teammates and sports writers.
Jordan has the uncanny ability to lead his team even during the bleakest moments.
He never loses his composure, even during the most stressful moments in the court.
Captured on many tribute DVDs, Jordan is also famous for his last-few-second victory shots that never fail to whip a crowd into an ecstatic frenzy.
Of course, there are many NBA stars that followed in the wake of Jordan's NBA career.
However, there is no NBA star that can outshine the legend of Michael Air Jordan.
As the man himself always implies during interviews, it is all bout determination, hard work and the willingness to work as a team player.
The star of Jordan may have lost some of its luster; but one thing is for sure, his mark in the history of basketball will never fade.
Ever.