#2 Michael Jordan (Basketball)

Basketball and Michael Jordan’s name are almost inseparable. Michael Jordan is a household name even among individuals who neither reside in the United States nor follow the NBA on a regular basis. The 59-year-old basketball great went beyond the sport, from coaching the Toon Squad to victory in the cult classic blockbuster movie Space Jam to creating his own line of apparel, shoes, and perfumes.

During his productive years with the Chicago Bulls in the 1990s, Jordan became a household name. Like the other athletes who made our final cut for Mount Rushmore, Jordan was a must-see on the court. Throughout his two stints with the Bulls, Michael Jordan amassed an unprecedented six NBA titles and six NBA Finals MVP honours. When playing basketball, the Bulls legend had an intimidating figure.

After a second retirement in 1999, Jordan shocked everyone by coming back to play for the Washington Wizards. However, Jordan’s time with the Wizards is mostly forgotten. He was unable to attain the same level of greatness with them as he did during his prime with the Bulls.

Despite his time spent with the Wizards, Jordan has cemented his status as the game’s all-time great (GOAT) in the opinion of many basketball fans and commentators. Although some have raised the names of Kobe Bryant and LeBron James as candidates for the title of greatest basketball player of all time (GOAT), Michael Jordan still seems to be the frontrunner for the honour.