Michael Jordan: Basketball's Best

by Chip Lovitt

He makes the impossible possible, defying gravity with his leaping, driving moves to the hoop. Michael Jordan has been the NBA's scoring leader every year since the 1986-87 season. From his start in Brooklyn, to an all-American college career at North Carolina, to the Chicago Bulls, here is the biography of one of the most extraordinary sports legends of our time. Original.

Genres: Sports, Biography, Nonfiction

First published December 12, 1951

Reviews

[Danielle Cozzola · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is a reason they call him the greatest of all time! To think that this book was published in 1993 before his other 4 championships blows my mind, because he had already accomplished so much prior to the rest of his career. The man is amazing, enough said! Any basketball lover can appreciate this book.

[Cody · Rating 3 out of 5]

Michael Jordan, one of the best basketball players, in my opinion, is known as the big Bulls’ star of the 90’s. Derrick Rose became the star from 09-12 but got a torn ACL, but that’s off topic. Michael’s childhood included being a baseball pitcher star. As he grew up, he got better and better at basketball and got to his dream college, University of North Carolina Tar Heels. There, he became a star, winning a college championship. He got picked 3rd overall in the 1984 NBA Draft to the Bulls. In the beginning, the Bulls became very good but still lacked the power to win an NBA title. That is, until the 90’s, when the Bulls became really good and won their first 3-peat. That is when a team wins three championships in a row. Then, Michael went to play baseball, and quickly got demoted and the player strike began, so he came back to basketball. They then won two more championships as the Bulls’ talent started to tone down. The book is a biography, and it is a pretty easy read with 211 pages in it. The author has written other biographies, and it is just as great of a biography as any others. Every now and then, there is some different language that is used to vary the sentences. The book is written normally, in paragraphs and chapters. The main characters of this book are Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen (teammate in the NBA), James and Deloris Jordan (his parents) Buzz Peterson (childhood and college friend), Juanita Vanoy Jordan (MJ’s wife). All these characters play big roles at some point in Michael’s life; Scottie Pippen in the NBA, His parents all his life, Buzz Peterson in school, and his wife when off the court. There are no protagonists/antagonists, they are all likable and good people; Michael was able to do it. They were all involved in Michael’s life, and they would all appear in other books, other books about Michael Jordan, perhaps. I can’t relate, but they remind me of nice people since they were supportive of Michael. My favorite character is Michael Jordan because he is great at basketball. I think that some of the themes of the book are that “Maybe there is something different for you” or “never give up”. In the beginning, Michael grew up in Rocky Creek/Wallace, North Carolina. Later on, it takes place in Chapel Hill, the city of UNC Tar Heels. Afterward, he moved to Chicago and was there for rest of the book. My personal opinion of this book is that it was well-written and used a good variety of language. The statistics were well put and correctly stated to make it interesting.
I really enjoyed this book, because it broadened my knowledge about Michael Jordan because I didn’t know that much until now. This book did not make me emotional at all. The author’s writing style makes the book intense and exciting to read. I feel like everything that needed to be said was said. They all know only so much about Michael Jordan’s personal life. This is unlike most books I have read, mainly because I don’t read many biographies. There was one part that seemed unbelievable when Michael played through the stomach bug and headache. The book is mistake-free. My favorite part of the book was when Michael won the three-peat. I think sports fanatics (mainly boys) would enjoy this book. Overall, I think the author was smart when he wrote this book.

[Joseph Pickering · Rating 4 out of 5]

Michael Jordan
Coleen Lovit

This biography is about the career and life of Michael Jordan. Michael Jordan is probably the best player to ever play basketball. MJ has six NBA titles, five MVP awards, six NBA Finals MVP awards, ten time All-NBA first team, NBA defensive player of the year, and many more.

Michael Jordan was a great basketball player, but many don't know that he was cut from his high school basketball team as a sophomore. If he quit we wouldn't be talking about him, and the sport wouldn't be where it is today. Jordan went on to play at North Carolina. He won a national championship in his first year. He played there for three years, then declared for the NBA draft. He was drafted by the Bulls, and was instantly a star. For many years Michael came up short in the playoffs, normally losing to the Detroit Pistons, or Boston Celtics. Finally in 1991 MJ got over the hump of losing and won the NBA Finals versus the Lakers. Jordan won the Finals two more years in a row then retired to play baseball. The reason for this is because his father was murdered, and his dad like baseball more. So we played for the Chicago White Sox. He re-joined the Bulls in '95, he won the championship the next three years after that. He then retired again, but came back again. This time he played for the Wizards for two short years.

I like this book because I like the sport of basketball. I would recommend this book to all ages of sports fans because of how interesting he is.

[Oogii O · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a huge respect for Michael Jordan for his commitment, persistence, work ethic and most importantly ability to cope with challenging situations. He is a living legend who inspires millions of people around the globe to become better physically, mentally and emotionally.

[Samantha C · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Being competitive is really a way to constantly challenge
myself and I like to challenge myself in every aspect of my life.
I believe that there's always room for improvement (Lovitt 41).” This quote stood out to me because every athlete should be aware of this in order to push themselves to their full potential in their sport. I rate this book 4 out of five stars. I greatly enjoyed this book because the author explained his childhood in great detail. For example, “Baseball, not basketball was Michaels first love (Lovitt 9).”Even though this book is for the basketball fans I liked how it explained how growing up Micheal never had a great passion for basketball all he cared about was impressing his dad and baseball. I like this book because it teaches you that anything you put your mind to with hard work can pay off. For example, Michael got kicked off his high school because team. That summer Micheal trained everyday and night therefore next year he would make the basketball team starting. Also, I liked this book because the author explain how humble Michael was being an incredible rookie in the NBA. For instance, “ Sure I play ball better than some and can do things on a court. But why do people react like that around me, like I‘’n some kind of rock star or something (Lovitt 68)?” The author explains that Micheal never asked for any of his popularity, he was just doing the sport he loves and fame just came apart of it. However, I did not like this book because the author did not explain the reason why Micheal suddenly decided he wanted to become a baseball player in the middle of his basketball career. In conclusion, I greatly enjoyed this book and identified this book as Man vs Man because Micheal had a mentality was his biggest competitor was himself and his hard work.

[Jacob P · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought that Chip Lovitt did a great job with talking about Michael's Life and experiences he had throughout his life from a very young age. There were multiple parts in the story where perspectives were added or comments people had growing up and/or playing with Michael.

Other parts that I'm glad Chip included were some fun facts in the story such as Michael cutting his toe at a young age which is said in the beginning. I was so interested to see what else would be added that I didn't know which fortunately kept me reading.

[Ivan Christopher Raj · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ah, my first book.

[Zack Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

All around good book. I like the way the author included his background and personal life just from his actual basketball career that he is famous for. I also got to learn a lot of new facts about Michael Jordan.

[Marky Nolan · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a good book with a lot of cool stories about Jordan that I was unaware of

[Christopher Almaguer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michael Jordan: Basketball's Best by Chip Lovitt is a biography about Michael Jordan, basketball's best. Michael Jordan didn't start out as a great basketball player, he had to practice a lot to get at the level he was at. As you know Michael Jordan is one of the best basketball players to play ever. He didn't really get noticed until he got to his junior year in high school. But from there he took off and he was noticed as a great player from everybody. I would recommend this book to people who like Michael Jordan and basketball.

[Shaun Luckett · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book I'm reading basketball is about all different player of the the NBA.The main player in this book was Micheal Jordan because it showed all his ring an all the hard work he put in to be a great player Micheal lead team to the playoffs they versed the mavericks an they one but week two of the playoffs this was the bulls last game until the championship game. Jordan has 30 point and his team down by 2 with only 10 seconds left he took the ball up for a lay up but he took it out and shoot a 3 an made it they one the playoffs an his team was on there way to the championships they arrived at the championship they were warming up an Jordan injured himself. The game started an Jordan was out he was on the bench wanting to play but his coach said no. Jordan was upset the bulls were down by 3 points but pippin got fouled an shot free through he missed the first an made the second they were down by 2 points now then the coach let Jordan in an 5 seconds left on the clock Jordan got the ball took it for a fast break then "BOOM" he jumped from the free through line an made it he did the impossible they won the championship. Thanks to Jordan his whole team got a ring and after that game Jordan retired from the NBA.

[Conner Rodriguez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Name: Conner Rodriguez
Date: 5/18/13
Period: 4
Book: Michael Jordan
Author: Chip Lovitt
Rate: 4 stars
Summary:
I chose this book because Michael Jordan inspired me to be the basketball player I am today. This book is about Michael Jordan’s life and how he grew up in North Carolina as an average kid who had the dream to become NBA star. He was average height most of his life but then he hit his growth spurt, Michael started to play basketball and overtime became one of the best NBA athletes of all time. My favorite quote in the book “Michael Jordan” is “I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed”. I like this quote because it teaches me to never lose confidence in myself and to never give up. I liked the authors writhing style because he stressed the reasons to never give up and to always work hard. I would recommend this book to any young athlete that is losing his confidence in himself.

[Benjamin · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this book Chip Lovitt describes and explains the life of Michael Jordan from when he was a child to his after college career. Though Chip Lovitt does not have all of it in the book, because it is not a recently made book. The author wrote this book to inform you more about Michael Jordan and his life. She makes this happen by starting from when he was born and slowly progresses over his life, but gives in a way to make things interesting with good and true facts. Which makes this a great book for kids who like sports but do not like reading, making it a great book to be added to any library. Even if I did not have to read this for class if this was recommended to me I would have read it and thought it was great. The concepts in this book would be understandable for younger readers, even if you did not have a clue how basketball goes. At the end of the book it states Michael Jordan’s career highlights which is a good addition if you were looking for a certain big point in his career. All in all this is a great book and I would recommend it to anyone who liked sports or to read.

[Dearius J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked the book because he one of the legend at basketball,he played for the bulls and I was reading through the whole night,so then through his career he got sick and was weak,but still had a good game.later on through life he quited basketball and went to baseball.He finally realized that he suck at baseball so he went back to the NBA.

I really enjoyed the book because its about my favorite basketball Micheal Jordan,he broke like 3 or 4 records.He got injury during the season and had to sit out for some couples of weeks because of his ankle injury.Micheal Jordan's dad was sht and killed in his car while on his way back from a business trip,so Jordan was a sad man,during the basketball off-season he out of shape and was slow


Miachel Jordan got right back in shape and went to to the wizard and was sorry,so he got back traded to the bulls with piper and some more good people so then it was his birthday and they won on his birthday.

[Stephan Powell]

Based off of this book, this talked a lot about the growing up of Michael Jordan and what things he actually went through to get as far as he is now. Michael Jordan was born on February 16th, 1963. He was very competitive from his young days and had only a winning mindset. He didn't like to lose. Jordan had a lot of inspiration of basketball from his father, James R. Jordan Sr. Later after Jordan attended University of North Carolina, he was then drafted to the NBA and played for the Chicago Bulls. This was just the beginning of a great career which Jordan had. He was able to bring his team to the championship multiple times and won a total of 6 rings. Michael Jordan left the bulls in 2003 and went to the Washington Wizards and retired there. Overall, he didn't have a good life growing up but he became someone who's one of the most famous human beings in the world and leaves behind a great legacy.

[Chas]

Again, I have kids and luckily I read fast, And I think Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player ever! Trevor is reading this for a project at school. Was one of the earliest books written when his career took off, just a bunch of when he was this age he did this, at this time he did that, not a ton of substance just gee whiz blah blah info. facts. My favorite part of the book though (me being from Utah and all)was when they told about when he slammed it over John Stockton and Larry H. Miller yelled "why don't you pick on someone your own size" and so the very next play Michael slams it over someone who was 6'7" and as he's running back down the court says "was he big enough for you?" I laughed cause I can just vision the whole thing happening, Larry Miller and his big mouth...

[Luke C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this book about Michael Jordan it talks about his amazing career and what he has been able to do in the NBA. Michael Jordan is arguably the best Basketball player in the game. He would average anywhere from 30 to 40 points per game. It also talks about the ups and downs of his life and what he has to go through. Not only has Michael Jordan made it n the NBA but has played division one NCAA basketball for UNC. I would recommend this book to anybody who likes basketball. I rated this book 5 stars because it's an easy read and after you finish the book you'll realize while Michael Jordan really is the best basketball player in the game.

Genre: Non-fiction.
Pages: 91.
Author: Coleen Lovit.
My rating: I rated 5 stars.

[Cayden Ball · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the book Michael Jordan by Chip Lovitt it is a biography about Michaels life. It starts off as talking about him as a kid and his family. Then it progresses to when he is in high school. It talked about how when he didnt make the team he went home and practiced and practiced. It progresses to when he attends the university of North Caralina. He talks about college life and how he did. Later when he is in the NBA it goes by seasons. He talks about each important season Michael Jordan had in depth.

I thought this book was very intresting and contained alot of facts and knowledge. But also at times it could be very boring. Overall this book is a good Michael Jordan boigraphy because it shows his whole life and in depth and most times.

[Charlie Haun · Rating 5 out of 5]

The greatest basketball player of all time. This book tells you the story of Michael Jordan's life and goes through his accomplishments. He was just a child when he first played basketball and didn't quit. In Michaels sophomore year he didn't make the team and ended up trying and practicing harder instead of giving up. He was a great player and has a great story.
I would recommend this book to everyone. The story is very interesting and grabs your attention quick. It's great to know more about his story and how he became who he is. I recommend this book to anyone who wan't to read a very good book.

[William Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book by Chip Lovitt was a great book in my opinion. It had real facts about his life. It took us through real time periods through his life. This book shared how Michael became the man he is today and what he has done to achieve his goals. Throughout this book I have grown to want to know more on what Michael has done throughout his life. My favorite part of the book was at the start. It was my favorite part because the reader got to find out that Michael did not play basketball at first he played baseball. Even though the book is over I really enjoyed it. So, if you want to learn more about Michael Jordan you would probably want to read this book.

[Wren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was all about Michael Jordan to when he was bored till he retired basketball. Talk about all of his highs and all of his lows. The story took you in the mind of Michael Jordan. The book talks about his high school, college, NBA, MLB, and NBA experiences.

This book was very interesting. I loved how it talk from his begin to the end of his basketball career. It showed me the hard working of Michael Jordan an how hard he had to work to make it. I like how the author told the story. He started at a low point for Michael and as the story went on and on everything got better. His team did and him as a player.

[Noah Krueger · Rating 2 out of 5]

this was a book about Michael Jordan who was one of the greatest basketball players in the world it was were he would shoot and he would get rebounds. in 1987 Michael Jordan became the first player in more than two decade to score 3000 points in a single season. in 1986-87 Jordan averaged 37.1 points per game the highest average in 24 years. in 1988 Jordan was named NBA most Valuable Player and NBA Defensive player of the Year. in 1991 as NBA top scorer for the 5th straight year and league MVP Jordan led the Chicago Bulls to their first NBA Championship.

[Marissa Manzano · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a biography of Michael Jordan. He was a really good basketball player. He soon played baseball after his dad passed away, because it was his favorite sport. His dad always wanted him to play baseball.
Overall, I really liked reading about his life. He impacted so many people’s lives in a positive way. He never once gave up on basketball. Practice makes perfect. I recommend this book to anyone who has passion for basketball/sports. This book would be a good read.

[Alvin Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book as I was reading it I was amazed at Michael Jordon’s level of superb commitment to develop his skill starting at very early age he was committed to being the best. From his backyard day of playing basketball with his brother Larry, Michael Jordon sharpens his skills and with the help of coaches he learns the fundamentals of the game. His drive to be the best, his commitment, his work ethic, it what produce 5 championship titles.

[David Santos]

I was born in 1984 which is the same year he entered the NBA and I didnt start watching basketball until 1991 so I missed all of MJ's early stuff. This book covers it pretty well as well as how he got started in the game. I am fro Chicago so I am a bit biased, but this is one of my favorite bios and I really dislike bios ha.

[Chad Cantin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Micheal Jordan by Coleen lovitt (biography)
He grew up in Wilmington North Carolina. as a kid he was very competitive and hated to lose. He attended university of North Carolina and was on the unc basketball team. he also won one ncaa tournament. In 1984 he was drafted to the Chicago bulls. He got signed by Nike soon after. I rated this book 5 stars because it had a lot of cool facts.

[Tbone · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book aabout MJ up until his 5th championship. I thought I knew all there was to know about MJ but learned some cool insights from this book. Recommended for all Jordan lovers and haters. I dont listen to no haters nana na na na .

[Molique Lawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book because I agree that Michael Jordan is one of the greatest players to ever play the game of basketball. It gives you an understanding of know matter where your from or what background you are you can still make something out of yourself.

[Ryan Koo · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a great book describing the hard work ethics of Michael Jordan, America's biggest and baddest basketball player. However, it felt like the writing itself was a little boring and flat. It lacked enthusiasm in parts but really showed the tension of the scenes in some parts.

[Cam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book literally changed my outlook on life