Michael Jordan turns 53 on Wednesday, making the rest of us feel old by extension. Starting with his slam from the free-throw line in the 1988 dunk contest, a select few Jordan highlights are burned into America's collective conscious, no matter how little you care about sports.
But what about the other highlights? What about the B-sides? What about the MJ plays that went less celebrated for reasons unknown?
The NBA spotlighted those moments on Wednesday to honor Jordan's 53rd -- but the highlight mix embedded atop this post is really a gift to us all.
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The highlights contained above offer a deeper look at the magical qualities that made Jordan the basketball god and Hall of Fame sneaker salesman he is today. They prove the ethereal appeal that motivates an Egyptian teenager to create a viral video mashup comparing Jordan and Kobe Bryant. They showcase the unflappable cool of His Airness, a quality that remains to this day.
But we all know Jordan's greatest legacy -- a sports meme to rule them all.
The NBA first shared this clip to honor an MJ birthday a few years back. But, since many of these plays are lost amid Jordan's overall brilliance, it's worth re-sharing here today. Thanks for the memories, Michael -- old and new alike.