He was more than a basketball player. He was a cultural phenomenon and not just because he was the best player, it was a combination of things. The artistry he played with, the fire he had, the dominance, his ability to make amazing, creative plays.
I grew up in the 80s and this family watched me during the summer and after school and they had WGN and we did not have cable so I was always rooting for my mom to be late on the days that the Bulls played so I could at least see a quarter of the Bulls. He was amazing to watch.
Then in the 90s he turned it on and it was just straight dominance on every level. His teams were great but that was because he pushed them and willed them to greatness. We finally got cable once my dad died so I was able to watch a ton of games on TNT and NBC. Jordan was the man. LeBron is a great player but he is not Jordan. Jordan was a cultural touchstone.
Khalid El-Amin. I thought he was going to be the next Isiah Thomas.