See Magic Johnson & Dwyane Wade's Heartfelt Posts as They Celebrate Michael Jordan's 58th B-Day

Retired NBA players Magic Johnson and Dwyane Wade took to Instagram to celebrate their fellow basketball player, Michael Jordan's 58th birthday.

Former Chicago Bulls player Michael Jordan celebrated his 58th birthday on February 17, and family, friends, and fans worldwide marked the day with heartfelt tributes honoring his immense talent and drive.

Among them were retired Miami Heat player Dwyane Wade and Los Angeles Lakers' Earvin "Magic" Johnson, who played alongside Jordan in the US national basketball team.

FRIENDS IN RIVALRY

Johnson's tribute to Jordan came from a place of friendship and respect. The talented basketball players met each other on the court as rivals as well as teammates playing for the US national team at the 1992 Olympics.

During that time, Johnson and Jordan formed an everlasting bond which was evident in the slideshow of photos showing the pair playing against each other and laughing together. Johnson captioned:

"Happy birthday to my great friend and the [greatest of all time] Michael Jordan."

WADE'S INSPIRATION

Wade's tribute showed how iconic Jordan is and how much he inspired the next generation of basketball players. Wade's game closely resembled Jordan's that ESPN.com called him "the next Michael Jordan" when he was in his prime.

However, by the time Wade retired in 2019, his statistics in 13 seasons were nowhere near as impressive as Jordan's, who played a total of 15 seasons. Wade honored the icon in his post. He wrote:

"Happy Birthday to my [greatest of all time] MJ23! Thank you for inspiring me. I am forever grateful!"

THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME

Jordan's stellar reputation in the world of sports and basketball is one that is agreed upon worldwide. He is regarded by many as the greatest sportsperson of all time, and his accomplishments back up the claims.

Jordan retired from basketball with a staggering 1072 NBA games under his belt.

During his career, the NBA Hall of Famer played with the Chicago Bulls and led them through their peak dominance, where they won six championships between 1991 and 1998.

In that time, Jordan was named the Most Valuable Player five times in the regular season and three times in All-Star seasons, making him the most decorated player in the NBA.

The "Space Jam" actor also made headlines internationally when he helped the US Olympic basketball team win gold at the 1984 and 1992 Olympic games.

JORDAN THE MULTI-HYPHENATE

Jordan retired from basketball with a staggering 1072 NBA games under his belt and various other ventures in different fields. The athlete even tried his hand at baseball and played for a year in the minor league.

Still, his biggest score was inspired by basketball. After signing his first deal with Nike in 1984, Jordan launched the Nike Air Jordan sneakers, which are, to date, one of the most popular and profitable shoes for the brand.