Second Coming: The Strange Odyssey of Michael Jordan - From Courtside to Home Plate and Back Again

by Sam Smith

The story of Jordan's departure from and return to the Chicago Bulls describes his anguish over his father's death and his attempts to succeed in major league baseball

Genres: Sports, Basketball, Biography, Nonfiction

Hardcover

First published June 1, 1995

About the author

Sam^^Smith is an NBA writer for the Chicago Bulls website bulls.com. He is the author of multiple articles and books, including The New York Times bestseller, The Jordan Rules.

Reviews

[Bennett Gasowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book was good. It showed everything about Michael Jordan the ups and downs of him. Showed the truth and how hard it is to come back to something. Overall the book was very good and I would recommend for anyone who likes basketball.

[Micah Young · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually enjoyed the book Second Coming: The Strange Odyssey of Michael Jordan. Even though it didn’t really teach me anything I didn’t know, the book was still really good if you want to know more about Michael Jordan. The book itself isn’t a biography on Michael Jordan’s whole life. However, it is a biography of his life after he decided to retire from basketball for the very first time.
I felt that the information it gave was very good. It wasn’t really anything too special, but it sums up his career after he retired pretty well. You could definitely find the same information anywhere, but I like how everything is portrayed in this book. I also appreciate that the book is only about his retirement from basketball for the first time, or else the book would be too long. Overall, I would recommend the book; however, I think you can find the same information somewhere else.

[JAYDAN · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Strange Odyssey of Michael Jordan is a story of how Michael Jordan went from being a basketball superstar to how he started his baseball career, and then back to basketball again. Throughout the book, the author Sam Smith also covered some aspects of his personal life and family. The book presents some interesting parts of his life including gambling and how it possibly connected to the death of his father.

One thing that I liked about the book was that it told his career story from how he first joined the bulls to when he retired and went to baseball, and back to basketball again. Another thing that I liked about the book was that the author placed major things about Michael Jordan’s life into his career life such as his father’s death and how he dealt with it. One thing that I didn’t like about the book was that when Michael came back from the MLB and went back to the NBA, the author kept switching from the MLB coaches to the NBA coaches when doing interviews. It was very confusing and hard to keep track of. This would be a great book to read for any sports fan.

One thing that I can connect with the book is that when Michael said his father was his idol and that he looked up to him for everything, I could relate to him because I look up to my father and listen to the lessons he teaches me. Another thing I can connect with the book is that when Michael retired from the NBA and went to the MLB, he was trying out new things even if he wasn’t good at it, kinda like how I went from boxing to jiu-jitsu even tho I wasn’t that good at jiu-jitsu I still tried to learn and get better even though eventually I returned to boxing again.

[Chris Townsend · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this 30 years ago when this information was brand new. I don't recall learning anything I didn't know just from watching the news. It's was okay, I guess. Probably more useful for people who didn't live through the events.

[Dominick Vasquez · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the beginning Michael Jordan was on a plane in Indianapolis but when he was trying to get off the plane he stayed in his seat because he was in tears, was also anxious, and most importantly he had excited thoughts before his big game against the Pacers. It doesn’t help that Jordan's dad passed away because “Jordan said,” “‘ He had always been there when I’d be moving to another stage of life.”’ During the winter Jordan would go to North Carolina to play one-on-one after playing with North Carolina's guard at the time Jerry Stackhouse. After he retired the first time he wanted to go back so his kids could see him play instead of hearing stories about his legendary performance. He also missed the competition, the game, and the success that he received in the league. The media even talked about how he was certainly one of the greatest players ever to retire in his prime. When Jordan first got to the bulls he broke his foot. After Michael bolted out of the White Sox camp, he and Pippen “plotting like two kids” and got Krause fired from his job. Then Pippen and Jordan got a new deal. Jordan asked Reinsdorf about returning to the League and also asked what he was going to do with Pippen and Reinsdorf said “ I told him Scottie would be a member of the Bulls for the duration of his contract unless we could better ourselves by trading him.”

Second Coming is a great book and I think people should get it if they like Michael Jordan. It’s about Michael Jordan's career and it's very interesting because Michael was at the peak of his career and retired to play baseball. But if that’s what you like you should get this book.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fine, easy read, though a lot of it aged poorly (like, in less than a year from when it was written). Smith feeling salty over Jordan’s reaction to his prior book is present throughout and you can tell which players were sources based on how he fawns (coughHoraceGrantcough) over them. For all the doomsaying over Jordan’s playing and the team, not much is made of the fact that it was a relatively small playing sample size. But it was still an interesting snapshot into the 1995 Bulls and what made the next season so impressive.

[E. L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good book. Not very much of his baseball time. Which I was looking forward to. A good book about a NBA season and the Bulls team.

[Mike Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the great forgotten NBA books.

[23bardon]

I think this book is fascinating. I think it's cool to see the writers point of view and how Sam Smith and Michael's paths cross when Micheal hates him so much

[Jake Seitz · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book Second Coming: The Strange Odyssey Of Michael Jordan From Courtside To Home Plate And Back Again, by Sam Smith, is about former NBA superstar Michael Jordan and his journey through his sports career. The book gives an inside look at the exciting life of the NBA great, through his times on and off the floor. Although Jordan never really appreciated Sam Smith, Smith was the only one that had close up access to Jordan throughout his entire career. Throughout this book Smith describes what went through Jordan’s mind during many of the shaky decisions that Jordan made. While most people viewed Jordan as simply a great basketball player and a humble person, Smith introduced a new side of Michael that most people wouldn't know. Sam described a personal side of Jordan, stating how he had a big gambling problem, was excessively competitive, and a little money hungry. At one point, Sam recalls, Michael betting an usher at a basketball game for money if he missed free throws, after missing multiple free throws Jordan simply ran back into the locker room shouting “next time man” to the usher. On the court Michael enjoyed being the center of attention, he loved the last minute pressure, and dislike that he gained from other players on other teams, and even his own. In some situations Jordan would threaten leaving if certain players were to be brought on the Chicago Bulls team.
I really enjoyed reading this book. There is no better person than Sam Smith who is able to give a direct inside look on Michael Jordan’s life and struggles. Some of the things that Sam reveals about Jordan truly give you a good idea on how some sports superstars act with all the fame and hype put on them. I would highly recommend this book to any sports or basketball fan looking to get a glimpse at the real sports world. This book was very hard too put down, and an exciting read!

[V. · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Bulls' failure during the 1995 playoffs colors a lot of Smith's analysis for the worse. That was a great, almost-there team He occasionally falls into the trap of writing off post baseball Jordan and looks foolish in hindsight. Also, he doesn't bring much of his trademark anecdotes and insights about the 72 win season because it was a chapter tacked on to the 2nd edition. Of course, the extra Dennis Rodman stuff is always welcome. Make sure you watch the new 30 for 30 doc Jordan Rides the Bus to gain a better understanding of Jordan's baseball life. Also, Smith really should've come out harder against the bastards in the media who suggested that Jordan's gambling debts caused his father James' death. All in all, it's worth reading this book because even though Smith is in Jordan's words, "a fucking asshole," he is an asshole with access that few reporters before or after have matched.

[Nasser · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about well now former NBA star Michael Jordan and his lifelong turn from basketball to baseball back to basketball. in this book Jordan explains what was going through his mind at first when he wanted to get out of the NBA and go play baseball everyone was shocked. but after a short time in baseball mike got out of baseball and thought of what he wanted to dot he most and that was to come back to the NBA for one more round and he did. this says a lot of things but one message that Jordan wants people to know is even if you make a choice and you don’t like it you can change it back to what it was as long as u want to do the thing. so overall this book was great.

[Rob Warner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting to go back and read this book several years later, after we know the greater context of three more championship rings, another retirement, an ill-advised third coming, an abusive HOF acceptance speech, and a front office career marked by terrible decisions. Not as powerful as Smith's The Jordan Rules, which blew up the boy scout persona that Jordan, Nike, and the media had built, but an interesting look nonetheless on the greatest basketball player ever trying to find his legs and his game, while everyone else tried to adapt and survive. This shouldn't be the only Jordan book you read, but it's a great look at that first post-baseball season.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was written years ago, but if you're a fan of Michael Jordan it's still a good read. The title pretty much explains what the book is about, but Sam Smith does a great job exploring the personalities involved in professional sports and managements ability to create an atmosphere where they can thrive. Not the greatest book ever, but entertaining nonetheless.

[Zayne Babbitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

IT is a book with a narrator reading it like a biography. I dont think he (sam smith) likes Micheal Jordan that much. Because Micheal Jordan said to him, "i hate your damn guts." but it is a good book so far. Now the writer is starting to change the subject aloot and im not liking it.

[Amit Sharir · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall i liked this book; however when i first selected this book, i thought it would be a documentary kind of book about Michael Jordan. I felt like the book was mostly about his teammates and family, and less about his career and life.

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

The NBA's GOAT. Great book about pre- baseball MJ and post baseball MJ with some baseball stories as well. It was more of thee basketball side of MJ and thee family aspect dealing with his father's death.

[Tony · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not one of the poetic sports tomes that come out from time to time. Kind of by-the-numbers. Jordan fans only please.

[Austin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book about Michael Jordan and how he got to be an all star in the NBA. it talks about all of his greatest achievements in basketball and in life. I recomend it if you are a sports fan.

[Alonzo Whitehead · Rating 4 out of 5]

OUTSTANDING!!!

[Zeyvien Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

this is a good back to read if you like basketball and if u like nba and if u like air jordan