According to Michael Jordan, the transition from college to the NBA was a “pretty easy” one. After joining the league in 1984, there were questions about how MJ would adapt to the professional level. Still, shortly after a workout at Madison Square Garden during his rookie season, Jordan confirmed the transition had been seamless for him.
“It’s been pretty easy. I think the Olympics was kind of pre-professional. It was fast-paced, physical, and that’s just the NBA game. Coming into this level is a brand new start for me. Start from the bottom and work my way up. I think the hard work is ahead of me and I’m willing to take the challenge and go out the best I can,” Jordan said.
This was quite a statement from a rookie, but young Jordan delivered and provided he was confident for a reason. He quickly made himself the focal point of the Bulls team and showed glimpses of what was to come.
Hitting the ground running
MJ’s numbers backed up his comments during his inaugural season, racing out the gates with averages of 28.2 points per game, 6.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and 2.4 steals on 51% shooting from the field.
Never mind rookie numbers, that is, All-NBA productivity. His experience with Team USA at the Olympics before suiting up for the Chicago Bulls was the perfect pre-cursor for his transition to the league.
The NBA media thought so too, as Jordan bested other rookie sensations Hakeem Olajuwon, Sam Bowie, and Charles Barkley for Rookie of the Year honors and was named to the All-NBA Rookie Team along the way.
Preparation was key
Of course, Jordan’s immediate dominance at the NBA level was a combination of advanced collegiate pedigree and an uncanny ability to score the ball even as a young player.
While there are famous stories on how MJ was underwhelming and subsequently cut from his high school team, the opposite was true following his college career at the University of North Carolina under legendary head coach Dean Smith, who prepared him for the next level.
There, Jordan learned how to play the game the right way, and coach Dean and the program harnessed his basketball fundamentals and maximized his elite athletic ability to bridge the gap between college and professional hoops.
Given how lottery picks struggle every season to transition from college into the league, MJ stands out as an exception that shouldn’t be used as the measuring stick to substantiate a rookie’s performance in their first campaign. The transition to the league is undoubtedly tricky, but Jordan made it look as easy as anyone ever has.