Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan squaring off in 1988. This was just before Phil Jackson became coach and you can see Doug Collins in the background. The intensity of them staring at each other really captures the intensity of the moment. Magic’s attempt to guard Jordan and Jordan’s defiance really captured a moment in time when Jordan was becoming the stuff of legend. david banks photographer

WHEN YOU THINK of Michael Jordan, every image seems to evoke moments of greatness. From his intensity on the court to his evolution into a global brand and pop culture icon, the storied visuals of “His Airness” are by now ingrained in our collective memory. That’s why when veteran Chicago sports photographer David Banks finally had the time to look through his archives and organize his photo negatives amid the coronavirus stay-at-home lockdown, he was surprised to find rare images of his that had sat undeveloped for years.

Banks, a diehard sports fan who was born and bred in the Windy City, was just beginning his career shooting for various photo agencies when Jordan arrived in Chicago at the start of his rookie 1984-1985 season. After being chosen third overall by the Chicago Bulls in the 1984 NBA Draft (behind Hakeem Olajuwon, who went to the Houston Rockets, and Sam Bowie, who joined the Portland Trail Blazers), Jordan made his Bulls debut against the Washington Bullets on October 26th, 1984. From that moment forward, Banks focused his lens on Jordan.