Bosh the Rightful

“His Airness” – that’s what people call him. Michael Jordan is indeed one of the most notable of all sports superstars. Then came a surprise. Still in his prime and internationally recognized as “the best basketball player on the planet,” Michael Jordan closed the door on the most glorious NBA stint and walked away in 1997, leaving a tremendous void in the sport and raising the question of who will replace him as the game’s ambassador and marquee play.

Not since Muhammad Ali has an athlete so dramatically affected a sport on virtually every level — transcending basketball as a sport and becoming an international figure that probably would be recognized in some of the remotest spots in the world. Michael Jordan, born in 1963, is considered by many to be the greatest player in basketball history. The 6 ft 6 in (198 cm) shooting guard first became known as an explosive individual scorer, but as he matured as a player he adopted a more team-oriented approach to the game.

Jordan led the Chicago Bulls to six National Basketball Association (NBA) championships (1991-1993, 1996-1998). His widespread appeal to fans helped make basketball one of the world’s most popular spectator sports (Stein, 2005). After his retirement, what’s the possibility of someone wearing the crown of a guy who brought an unprecedented level of excitement to the game, did things on the court that other players simply couldn’t do – and made it look easy while he was doing it?

What’s the likelihood of someone sharing the pedestal with the guy who won three MVP awards, led his team to three consecutive championships, had seven straight scoring titles, boosted television ratings an average of 17 percent when the Bulls played, collected two Olympic gold medals, earned an estimated $36 million annually in endorsements, and was the top draw on the road, attracting an average of 18,433 fans per game in his last season? Not surprisingly, there’s a popular thought among Jordan fans who say there’ll never be another Michael Jordan.

However, there are new NBA rookies out there who might match the outstanding mark Jordan made in basketball history. Then, came Chris Bosh of Toronto Raptors. Chris Bosh was born March 4, 1984 and was number 4 in the NBA draft pick in 2003. A power forward, he’s a great inside and outside player. Few are blessed with his athletic prowess as he plays with a good amount of aggressiveness, but doesn’t get out of control or lose his composure easily. His long frame and amazing fluidity, he runs the floor exceptionally well.

Bosh doesn’t have the perimeter skills of Kevin Garnett, namely shooting, but appears to like playing in the post more so than Jordan and could end up filling out into more of a dominating post player. Has great ball handling skills and really can pass the ball. He has some developed post moves and an advanced offensive game for a 21 year old. He can even step out to three point land and hit a few long range shots. Most sports critics say, he understands the game well, doesn’t make unnecessary moves, uses the drop step and jumps hook effectively.

Because of his long arms, timing, and explosiveness, he is an excellent shot blocker. The team even goes to him to bring the ball up the court at times as a point forward. He is now dubbed as “Air Canada” comparable to Michael Jordan’s “Air Jordan” tag (Forrest, 2005). But, he’s more famous to the title as “The Future”. When the Raptors claimed the NBA title against the Chicago earlier this year, Bosh is getting a step closer in his path to equal Michael Jordan’s fabulous feats.

No one might be comparable to Jordan now, but surely there will be “The Future” who might be giving us the hopes and the thrills of the game we just love, which is basketball. Works Cited Stein, Marc. “Michael Jordan. ” Microsoft® Encarta® 2005 [CD-ROM]. Redmond, WA: Microsoft Corporation, 2005. Forrest, Ben. The Unveiling of Chris Bosh. Brock Press, Ontario, February 22, 2005. Acquired online last November 17, 2005 at http://www. brockpress. com/media/paper384/news/2005/02/22/Sports/The-Unveiling. Of. Chris. Bosh-872851. shtml? norewrite&sourcedomain=www. brockpress. com