The Michael Jordan Syndrome

Def'n (1): when a youth holds unrealistic expectations about their athletic future; when an individual or a group aspire to "be like Mike".

The Michael Jordan Syndrome (MJS) is a disease whereby the afflicted becomes enamored with their own athletic ability to the point that they forsake everything in their life in pursuit of athletic excellence. MJS, is not, as is sometimes commonly thought, contracted merely through an individuals genetic predisposition towards athletic activity; it is an affliction that, as far as research shows, is largely environmental with the genetic make up of individuals having impact at the margins.

MJS will often occur areas with low levels of parental, adult, or community support for youths. In areas where community support is low, youth tend to contract MJS by viewing iconic athletes as role models, and attempt to follow in their footsteps without recognizing the impossibility of their goals or without having a back-up plan.

Alternatively, the disease can also be contracted through extended contact with an adult, typically a parent or coach, who may impose their own desires for superstardom on their child. The adult will seek to live vicariously through their children/pupil and will often deter them, through explicit instruction or through modelling behaviour, from developing academic skills will allow them to develop a plan B.

As the Michael Jordan Syndrome begins to take hold on the host, it seems to afflict those around the host. Often, but not always, adults may become entranced by the young hosts whose behaviour and academic results may flounder and will become rationalized by many as acceptable. As the hosts become bigger, faster, stronger, more co-ordinated, and develop more sport specific skills, adults seem to become increasingly less likely to recognize the on-set of MJS. In fact, in many cases adults will to feed the disease by praising only athletic ability, not the hard work and effort that is required for future success in their sport and outside of it.

MJS may also be exacerbated by early sport success or extended exposure to SportsCenter. While MJS is not contracted by athletic ability alone, what is known at this point, is a function of exposure to iconic athletes combined with limited adult interaction whereby the adult is able to give the youth their regular 'reality' injections.

See also, the Canadian mutation of the disease known as Gretzkitis.

Def'n (2): the destruction of the team game in basketball, particularly in last second situations, where players attempt to recreate "the shot".

Def'n (3): the basketball media's desire to anoint young, black, athletic shooting guards as "the next Michael Jordan, typically with disastrous results.