 Many of Jordan 's contemporaries say that Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time . In 1999 , an ESPN survey of journalists , athletes and other sports figures ranked Jordan the greatest North American athlete of the 20th century , above such luminaries as Babe Ruth and Muhammad Ali . Jordan placed second to Babe Ruth in the Associated Press 's December 1999 list of 20th century athletes . In addition , the Associated Press voted him as the basketball player of the 20th century . Jordan has also appeared on the front cover of Sports Illustrated a record 50 times . In the September 1996 issue of Sport , which was the publication 's 50th anniversary issue , Jordan was named the greatest athlete of the past 50 years . 
 Many of Jordan <a href='null_genetive' title='1'><mark>'s</mark></a>contemporaries say that Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time . In 1999 , an ESPN survey of journalists , athletes and other sports figures ranked Jordan the greatest North American athlete of the 20th century , above such luminaries as Babe Ruth and Muhammad Ali . Jordan placed second to Babe Ruth in the Associated Press <a href='null_genetive' title='2'><mark>'s</mark></a>December 1999 list of 20th century athletes . In addition , the Associated Press voted him as the basketball player of the 20th century . Jordan <a href='been_done' title='3'><mark>has</mark></a> also appeared on the front cover of Sports Illustrated a record 50 times . In the September 1996 issue of Sport , which was the publication <a href='null_genetive' title='4'><mark>'s</mark></a>50th anniversary issue , Jordan was named the greatest athlete of the past 50 years . 
Many of Jordan  contemporaries say that Jordan is the greatest basketball player of alll time . In 1999 , an ESPN survey of journalists , athletes and other sports figures ranked Jordan da greatest North American athlete of the 20th century , above such luminaries as Babe Ruth and Muhammad Ali . Jordan placed second to bby Ruth in tdaAssociated Press  December 1999 list of 20th century athletes . In addition , the Associated Press voted em as the basketball player of the 20th century . Jordan done also appeared on the front cover of Sports Illustrated a record 50 times . In the September 1996 issue of Sport , which was the publication  50th anniversary issue , Jordan was named thdaealest athlete of the past 50 years .