As hard as it is to believe, Michael Jordan is turning 50 years old tomorrow. Right before the birthday bash, ESPN OTL comes with this incredible piece detailing the feelings of rage, triumph, pain, and peace that that the modern Michael Jordan lives with in his still-surreal life. Flip through the gallery for some visual from the piece and then head to ESPN to read the full story.

With the monster run that LeBron James is currently on, NBA fans have once again taken a historical eye to his legacy and begun to compare his overall value as a player to some of his greatest contemporaries. Michael Jordan even weighed in on the newly sparked Kobe vs LeBron debate, favoring Kobe and citing his five championships to LeBron’s one. Do you agree with MJ’s assement? Let us know in the comments below who you think will have a greater legacy once their respective times in the spotlight are over.

He’s been out of the game for some time now, but Michael Jordan is still grabbing Sports Illustrated covers every once in a while. This latest one marks his monumental 50th apperance cover, one timing will match up pretty closely with his upcoming 50th birthday. If you need to do a bit of reminiscing, hit our gallery for a recap of each of Michael Jordan’s Sports Illustrated covers and tell us how many of these you’ve got in your personal collection.

ESPN is carrying on with their celebration of Michael Jordan’s 50th birthday with yet another tribute video. This clip details Michael’s initial partnership with Nike, along with the subsequent endorsements that his on-court prowess landed him and the effect his presence had on other sneaker company/athlete partnerships. Check out the video with us right after the jump and stay tuned for more coverage leading up to MJ’s upcoming birthday.

Michael Jordan’s 50th birthday is right around the corner, a milestone that is currently being celebrated by the team over at ESPN. One of the segments they’ve whipped up as a tribute is “It’s Gotta Be The Shoes”, a video that looks back at the history of Michael Jordan, the birth of the Jordan Brand, and the Air Jordan phenomenon at large. Hit the jump with us for the video which features some interesting alternate sketches from the Air Jordan III design process.

Can you imagine the change in trajectory as far as the sneaker world is concerned that would have been the result of Michael Jordan signing with adidas? It’s hard to imagine what would have happened, but let’s not forget that it was a possibility when the initial Nike/adidas bidding war began over MJ before he entered the league. Let us know in the comments where you think the Air Jordan line would be if that were the case, and then check out the full article from the good guys at Sneaker Freaker on this crazy “What If?” scenario.

Our vintage item today is a piece of Air Jordan history that goes beyond the realm of sneakers and apparel. The item is the original blueprint for the commemorative Michael Jordan statue that stands outside of the United Center in Chicago. Of course in the final piece he’s wearing a pair of the Air Jordan IX, but the blueprints here fail to portray that little detail (Perhaps the sneaker wasn’t out yet at the time of the sketching?). Continue reading to get an up close look at this piece of Michael Jordan history and check out the price from bailiwyck on eBay.

The incredibly detailed Michael Jordan figurines from Enterbay have set a new standard for Jordan memorabilia, replicating Michael’s look on a small scale in a way that we’ve never seen before. Fortunately though we’ve got a chance to see it again, as this recent display out in China serves as a mini exhibition for the collection. Continue reading for more looks from this set of Michael Jordan figurines and then look for the collectibles figurines now on eBay.

Proof that Michael Jordan’s mastery is still inspiring folks worldwide comes this time in the form of the insanely intricate Michael Jordan Masterpiece figurines from Enterbay. The set nails MJ’s likeness, and of course doesn’t skimp out on the details when it comes to the sneaker side of things. Continue reading for a full gallery on the collectibles and let us know if you’d add these to your Jordan memorabilia collection.

The ’23′ stitching on the Air Jordan V ‘Metallic’ has been a bit of a complicated detail over the years. The most recent retro for instance had that detail on the back end, where the original pairs did not. Unless you were Michael Jordan. On display here is the Air Jordan V in that black and metallic silver colorway from when it first came out, the pair being one produced for MJ himself. Continue reading to peep the condition on this rare player exclusive and bid on them now from cnoriega_2007 on eBay.