Slam Dunk! The story of Michael Jordan / M.J. Up Close

It was 1978. A teenager was trying out for his school’s best basketball team. He played hard. He did the best he could. 

But he didn’t make the team. He was not happy. 

If he had quit playing, you probably wouldn’t be reading this story now. But he didn’t quit. He kept playing. In fact, he went on to become one of the greatest basketball players of all time.

Maybe you’ve heard of him. His name is Michael Jordan.

The summer after he didn’t make the team, Michael grew 5 inches taller. He practiced every day. He just kept working to get better. 

Later he played basketball for his college. At the end of a championship game, he made the winning shot! People started hearing about Michael Jordan. But he wasn’t the best player—yet. 

In 1984, an NBA team called the Chicago Bulls chose Michael. Soon he became a huge star. He dazzled fans. He amazed them with his slam dunks. He leapt into the air. It looked like he was flying. 

He worked incredibly hard to win. He scored tons of points. 

But there was still one big problem. No matter how well their star played, the Bulls could not win the biggest prize. They could not win an NBA championship. 

That changed when the Bulls hired a new coach. He helped Michael get even better. The Bulls worked together to become the best team. They won six NBA championships!

Michael left the team in 1999. He won five Most Valuable Player awards and two Olympic gold medals. Many people say Michael Jordan is the GOAT. That means the greatest of all time. 

And he didn’t even make the best team at his high school. 

If he had quit then, none of this would have happened. His story is a reminder to never give up on your dreams.