Magic Jordan Research Paper

610 Words3 Pages

The sport of basketball, and more specifically, the National Basketball Association has some very talented superstars. However, there is one unique skillset or attribute that is likely the most sought after in a player. This particular skill sets the average star apart from the rest. Some hall of fame caliber players who exemplify this trait are Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and Magic Johnson. The skill these players possess is the ability to make game winning plays in critical situations, when time is running out; this is often referred to as being clutch. In order for a player to be clutch their coach and teammates must trust them, they must have the confidence to take the final shot, and they must have a higher percentage of game winning shots then the average player.
Trust between coach and player is a …show more content…

There are many reasons he was able to accomplish this, but the foremost reason is his elevated level of confidence. Michael Jordan was never frightened by the moment, when his team was trailing by two with 5 seconds left on the clock, everyone watching knew he was going to take the final shot, and probably make it. This high level of confidence allowed him to be calm, when others might panic. The pressure of the situation wasn’t as great to him, because he was not afraid to take the final shot, and he wasn’t scared of missing. Since he was without fear, he was able to play at his greatest when the game was on the line. Michael Jordan points out that “ I have missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I have lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I have been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed” (brainyquote.com). This is the same reason why Jordan was so successful in late game situations. Jordan was continually trusted, so he had many opportunities to take and make the final