NBA Rookie Signature (1985-1987)
By far my favorite Jordan autograph style.

When studying the autograph, you’ll notice Jordan’s signature "M" figure 8 loop connecting directly into the “i”, then each and every letter written out to perfection. Of note, he did not finish off the “l” with the flare loop, as that part of the signature was sometimes less prominent, but would still be used in particular instances.
And the "Jordan" is spectacular. The giant looping and full "J" that crosses perfectly over the "M" and encompasses almost the entire first name, then the perfect figure 8 loop at the base, connecting again to the fully spelled out last name. Unique to this signature and only a few others i’ve come across, the “n” in Jordan is fully formed.




NBA Rookie Signature Examples









You'll notice in this example, the Jordan still has the full J, but the rest of the last name has been shortened. Signed in 1987 most likely, this is the pre-cursor to the Transitional Signature that would come next.

This Example from RareAir23.com showcases an autograph almost identical to the poster signature I featured earlier on this page, However, you'll notice the initial 1/4 of the "J" stroke has been eliminated and now starts just above the "M" in Michael. Again, this is an early, early version of the change from this style into the early 90's transition to the Modern Style.