Did you know that Michael Jordan was cut from the basketball team his sophomore year of high school? Robert Lipsyte, a legendary sports reporter, award-winning young adult novelist, and an outspoken critic of the sports world.(20) As a young reporter, Lipsyte covered boxing for the New York Times. In 1971, Lipsyte left the Times to concentrate on writing books. (23) His sports books for young people include "Free To Be Muhammad Ali" and the "Superstar Lineup" series which document the lives of famous sports heroes. (24) One of the "Superstar Lineup" series we will talk about in this review is Michael Jordan A Life Above The Rim; The true story of how Michael Jordan achieved this extraordinary level of success as a basketball player and supreme king of commercial endorsements highlights one of the new roles of athletes in our society today. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The title, A Life Above The Rim, refers to Michael Jordan's nickname "Air Jordan", he got it because he has one of the highest vertical jumps in the NBA. Just as people didn't know that Michael Jordan was cut as a sophomore, people also didn't know about Michael Jordan's life before he became a superstar. At the beginning of the story, Lipsyte portrays Michael Jordan's humiliating life before he went viral. Michael was a late bloomer, cut from the high school basketball team as a sophomore. He was not offered the most prestigious college scholarships available. The true Jordan phenomenon didn't truly begin until, of course, his freshman year at the University of North Carolina, when he played for Dean Smith and announced his presence with a spectacular 17-foot shot that brought his team the NCAA title . Lipsyte covers Jordan's college and professional career, including the two Olympic gold medals he won. Lipsyte provides not only the facts but a sophisticated social and historical analysis of the game of basketball and Jordan's place in it. In Jordan's entire involvement with basketball and advertising. Jordan managed not only to be the greatest basketball player ever, but also to do so at a time when basketball was at its peak, with companies more ready to profit from marketable stars. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper now from our expert writers. Get a Custom Essay Many companies were ready to profit from the marketable super star. Lipsyte writes of Michael's success with advertising deals with companies: “When he turned pro, Jordan signed with Proserv, the largest sports agency in the country. They negotiated his contracts, managed his money and got him endorsement deals. They had no doubts about its marketing potential and immediately proposed it to several companies. Nike was the first to take a risk, and the outcome continues to surpass the company's wildest dreams.” This passage shows a lot that Michael Jordan's life changed after becoming a superstar. When you're a superstar like Michael Jordan, people are dying to meet you.