Michael Jordan was introduced to a new generation when ESPN's 10-part documentary "The Last Dance" ran on ESPN.
The Bulls superstar led six NBA championship runs. He had so many big games, including a 63-point performance against the Celtics in the 1986 NBA playoffs and a 55-point outburst against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden in 1995.
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Jordan's impact went beyond those games, however. He was an icon — and his basketball career was filled with iconic moments.
Sporting News' staff voted on the 15 most iconic Jordan moments. Here is what we came up with ...
Michael Jordan's 15 most iconic moments
15. The block
When: Jan. 4, 2002
Yes, Jordan spent two seasons with the Wizards.
In the final minute against the Bulls, Jordan's shot was blocked by Ron Artest. Jordan ran the length of the floor to track down Ron Mercer. He didn't just block the layup. He snatched the ball out of the air with both hands, then slammed it into the backboard. Not bad for a 38-year-old.
14. The fist pump
When: June 1, 1997
The Bulls and Jazz were tied at 82 in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. Jordan dribbled out the final seconds before launching a jumper over Bryon Russell on the left wing. The shot went in, and Jordan celebrated with a simple fist pump before being mobbed by teammates.
It wouldn't be the only time he victimized Russell.
13. "I'm back"
When: March 18, 1995
Jordan retired in 1993 a few months after his father died, and he played minor-league baseball for the White Sox organization. That changed on a Saturday, when Jordan sent a simple fax to the Bulls before making his return to basketball. That would lead to Chicago's second three-peat.
20 Years Ago Today: Best press release ever pic.twitter.com/17sUPGML6I
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) March 18, 2015
12. The 360 layup
When: June 2, 1989
The Bulls lost Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Pistons, but Jordan had the play of the game with a steal, save and 360 layup over Bill Laimbeer. For all the plays that defined the Bulls-Pistons rivalry, that one sticks out most.
11. Eyes-closed free throw
When: Nov. 23, 1991
In the closing seconds of a win against Denver, Jordan dedicated a free throw to Nuggets rookie Dikembe Mutombo by saying, "This one's for you, baby." Jordan buried the free throw with his eyes closed in a 107-100 victory.
Jordan would later dunk on Mutombo and give him the famous "finger wag."
10. Father's Day
When: June 16, 1996
Jordan led the Bulls to their fourth NBA championship with 22 points, nine rebounds and seven assists in an 87-75 victory against Seattle. The Game 6 win fell on Father's Day, providing an emotional tribute to his late father, James, who was shockingly shot to death in July 1993.
The image of Jordan lying on the locker-room floor with the Larry O'Brien Trophy still resonates.
9. Jordan beats Georgetown
When: March 29, 1982
Jordan hit a jumper with 17 seconds remaining to give North Carolina a 63-62 victory against Georgetown in the NCAA men’s basketball championship game, the first of many clutch shots that would define Jordan's career.
8. The foul-line dunk
When: Feb. 6, 1988
Jordan and Dominique Wilkins engaged in one of the greatest dunk contests of all time in Chicago, and it was a can-you-top-this duel for the ages. Jordan captured the trophy with a dunk from the foul line — a poster that was on most bedroom walls for a decade.
7. Jordan over Ewing
When: April 30, 1991
The Knicks-Bulls rivalry was epic in the 1990s. In the first round of the 1991 NBA playoffs, Jordan threw down one of his greatest dunks over Patrick Ewing in Game 3.
Jordan spun around John Starks and Charles Oakley before going baseline on the 7-foot center. The rest is history.
6. Jordan holds the trophy
When: June 12, 1991
Jordan led the Bulls to the title in the 1991 NBA Finals, and the series ended in Game 5 with a 108-101 victory. Jordan broke into tears when he clutched the Larry O'Brien Trophy for the first time, and it's an image that pops up in almost every Finals montage.
5. The Flu Game finish
When: June 11, 1997
The Bulls were on the road for Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals, and Jordan suffered from flu-like symptoms. He still scored 38 points and led Chicago to a series-turning win against Utah.
It's the image of Jordan collapsing into Scottie Pippen's arms in the final seconds that has stood as the defining image from "The Flu Game."
4. "A spectacular move"
When: June 5, 1991
The Bulls evened the 1991 NBA Finals with a 107-86 win against the Lakers, but Jordan made the play that signified the passing of the torch.
He jumped toward the basket with the ball in his right hand before switching to his left for a layup. Marv Albert's call — "Oh! A spectacular move by Michael Jordan!" — can still be heard today. Phil Jackson's reaction is priceless, too.
3. The Shrug
When: June 3, 1992
Jordan dominated the first half of Game 1 of the 1992 NBA Finals. He scored 35 points in the first 24 minutes, and that included a record six 3-pointers.
After the sixth make from beyond the arc, Jordan breezed by Portland's Cliff Robinson, looked at the announcers and shrugged. That provided another unforgettable NBA Finals image.
2. "The Shot"
When: May 7, 1989
With two seconds left in Game 5 of a first-round series with Cleveland, Jordan took an inbound pass from Brad Sellers, glided by Cleveland's Craig Ehlo and fired up a game-winning shot for a 101-100 victory.
The corresponding reactions — Ehlo's fall to the ground in despair and Jordan’s high-flying celebration — have been tied together ever since. Jordan would haunt Cleveland again in 1993 in eerily similar fashion.
1. Jordan's Last Shot
When: June 14, 1998
The Bulls trailed by one point in Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals, and that's when Jordan stole the ball from Karl Malone. On the other end, Jordan crossed over Russell and made the go-ahead basket with 5.2 seconds remaining.
Jordan held the pose for his final shot in a Bulls uniform, and Chicago won, 87-86, for their sixth NBA championship.
