The Michael Jordan statue outside Chicago’s United Center is nicknamed “The Spirit.”
The bronze sculpture was created by Highland Park artists Omri Amrany and Julie Rotblatt-Amrany. It was unveiled on November 1, 1994, shortly after Jordan’s first retirement and ahead of the Bulls’ move into the United Center. The statue depicts Jordan in midair, appearing to dunk over two opponents.
The sculpture is about 12 feet tall and stands on a 5-foot black granite base. Its inscription celebrates Jordan as “the best there ever was” and “the best there ever will be.” The work weighs roughly 2,000 pounds and was made using lost-wax bronze casting.
A common mix-up is “Air Jordan,” which is Jordan’s famous nickname and the name associated with his Nike brand, not the statue’s official title. The statue was originally installed outdoors but was moved inside the United Center’s atrium in 2017.