Michael Jordan displayed several talents on an NBA court that fans had never seen before from any other players who had come before him. The man who averaged 28+ points per game in his rookie season was a master of the aerial battle and simple could not be challenged after he had left the ground off his feet.
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‘His Airness’ of course, wasn’t just a phenom when it came to dunks and finishing around the rim. He was also an incredible shooter from the mid-range. He could’ve been a great 3-point shooter as well but according to him, if he trained to be a 3-point specialist, he would lose his abilities from the mid-range.
As the 1990s crept up, MJ became an absolute assassin from within the arc. His turnaround jumper is iconic and subsequently synonymous with him. It felt as though the second he turned around and shot the ball, it almost always went in.
Michael Jordan and his left-handed free throw
Being a good mid-range shooter translates incredibly well to the charity stripe. Jordan was a career 83.5% shooter from the free throw line so it’s safe to say that if the game was on the line, you most certainly would not mind if Michael Jordan made his way to the free throw stripe.
In one particular game against the Atlanta Hawks, Jordan would go above and beyond in trying to showcase his talents from the free throw line. While at it towards the end of the game, MJ made sure to ‘rub salt in the wound’ by hitting an FT with his left-handed.
It should be noted for those not in the know that Jordan is not left-handed. While he has showcased a certain level of ambidexterity at drives to the rim. He has never confidently shot with his left hand. Yet, he decided to do it anyway because why not.
Michael Jordan also shot free throws blindfolded
Once again, against the Atlanta Hawks, Michael Jordan once closed his eyes and knocked down a free throw before back-pedaling and getting back on defense.
This is the infamous, ‘Mutombo, this is for you’ free throw. Him and Dikembe had a friendly rivalry during this time where neither would back down from one another. So this free throw along with Jordan’s dunk over him (climbing ‘Mount Mutombo’) were a culmination of that trash talk.
