On his way to becoming the greatest basketball player on Planet Earth, his Airness picked up the crown for being The Association’s top first-year player
On May 16, 1985, Michael Jordan was named the National Basketball Association Rookie of the Year. During the 1984-85 season, he averaged 28.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game for the Chicago Bulls. His Airness left the University of North Carolina after three seasons, and he was drafted with the 3rd overall pick in 1984, behind the University of Houston’s Hakeem Olajuwon and Sam Bowie of Kentucky.’
The award marked the beginning of one of the greatest careers in basketball history, as Jordan immediately transformed the fortunes of a struggling Chicago franchise. Before his arrival, the Bulls had little national relevance, but his electrifying style of play quickly turned Chicago into must-see television.
Despite missing out on the top overall selection in the 1984 draft, Jordan wasted little time proving he belonged among the NBA’s elite. He was selected to start in that year’s All-Star Game, a rare accomplishment for a first-year player. In the meantime, his popularity also helped increase attendance and global exposure for the league as a whole.
Jordan’s Rookie of the Year campaign served as the foundation for a legendary career that eventually included six NBA championships, five league MVP awards, and global recognition as one of the most influential athletes of all time. He was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009.