Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan played most of his NBA career for the Chicago Bulls, and is considered to be one of the greatest basketball players ever. Not only was he one of the greatest basketball players ever, but also he is one of the most impactful players in NBA history. When he stopped playing basketball, his mark was left on the league. He changed many rules in the game and took many risks in order to have those rules changed. He was one of the first athletes to have his own brand, and to have multiple endorsements. “Michael Jordan empowered athletes, and he was one of the first to really make bucket loads of cash on endorsement deals. He has his own brand and earned billions doing so. Jordan is the reason why superstar athletes earn so much money” (Alexander). Jordan was the person who started athletes and celebrities in general being endorsers for brands. He gave the NBA and many other athletes a platform. Now when you turn on the television, it’s hard to not go without seeing a celebrities in a commercial. “He transcends sports. His name and his face are on sneakers, sandwiches, soft drinks and cereal boxes, to mention just a few items” (Syken 42).
Not only did he start athletes being sponsored, but also made many style changes during the era of his play. During the 1980s, there was strict dress code against what players could wear on the court. Jordan began to fight back against the rules by wearings baggy shorts, and shoes that are colors other than black and white. The NBA had rules that said shorts had to be a certain way and the shoes that players wear have to be black and white. Jordan was fined for each time he wore shoes of a different color, eventually causing Nike to begin paying the fines for him. Jordan’s persistence paid off and eventually the rules were changed so that players are able to wear shoes with their team colors. In 2018 this rule was changed so that players can now wear shoes of any color. Michael Jordan being persistent in the 1980s has lead to even more freedom for players in the NBA today.