Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963 in New York City) is an American former basketball player. During those 15 seasons in the NBA,
Through hard work and an iron determination to succeed, Michael Jordan won 6 NBA championships. In addition to the championships, Michael Jordan’s impressive basketball prowess earned him the admiration of fans and established him as one of the pre-eminent figures in the sport, as well as individual accolades.
Whenever he’s won, Michael Jordan does it so brilliantly with such an extraordinary attitude that it was clear beyond a doubt that he’s the best, as evidenced by his NBA Final MVP awards. In the six NBA finals, Michael Jordan won, he stood out and was awarded the MVP award.
His excellent disposition, which brought him success on the courts, was carried into the business world after his retirement, which in turn brought him similar success. In this article we will review Micheal Jordan’s Biography Facts, Childhood/Early Life, Career and Personal Life.
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Michael Jordan’s Biography Facts, Age, Brief Info
Here are some brief biography facts you need to know about the American basketball legend.
- Full name: Michael Jeffrey Jordan
- Nicknames: Its Airness, Black Cat, MJ, Air Jordan, Black Cat
- Born: February 17, 1963
- Alter: 59 years old
- Star sign: Aquarius
- Place of birth: New York City, New York, United States of America
- Nationality: American
- Height: 1,98 m (6 ft 6 in)
- Weight: 98 kg (216 lb)
- Training:
- high school: Emsley A. Laney High School
- University: University of North Carolina
- NBA-Draft: 1984 (Round 1; Pick 3) by Chicago Bulls
- Position: Shooting Guard
- Liga: Nba
- Kit Number: #23, #12, #45
- player career: 1984–1993, 1995–1998, 2001–2003
- Parents:
- Father: James R. Jordan, Sr.
- Mutter: Deloris Jordan
- Siblings:
- brothers: Larry Jordan, James Jordan Jr.
- sisters: Roslyn Jordan, Deloris Jordan
- Wife: Yvette Prieto (married 2013), Juanita Vanoy (married 1989–2006)
- Kinder:
- sons: Jeffrey Michael Jordan, Marcus Jordan
- daughters: Ysabel Jordan, Victoria Jordan, Jasmine M. Jordan
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Michael Jordan’s Early Life & Childhood
Michael Jeffrey Jordan was born on February 17, 1963 in Brooklyn, New York and is one of five children born to his parents – James Jordan and Deloris Jordan. His father, James, worked as a General Electric supervisor while his mother, Deloris, worked in a bank. As a young boy, his father taught him basic etiquette like hard work while his mother taught him domestic skills like sewing and doing laundry.
Jordan, who was interested in sports from a young age, tried to play basketball at Emsley A. Laney High School during his sophomore year, but Jordan, standing at 5 feet, 11 inches tall, was labeled as undersized and couldn’t play for his high school basketball team.
However, he played for his school’s junior basketball team, where he scored several 40-point games. Jordan soon grew and earned a spot on the Maim team, where he averaged 25 points in his last two seasons of high school basketball.
In 1981, as a senior in high school, Jordan was invited to the McDonald’s All-American Game where he performed brilliantly. After graduating from high school, he received several offers from various universities such as the University of North Carolina, Syracuse University, and the University of Virginia. However, he chose to play for North Carolina.
Michael Jordans College-Basketballkarriere
In his first season in college basketball, Jordan was instrumental in North Carolina winning the NCAA championship and receiving the ACC Freshman of the Year Award. He continued his excellent form, earning him NCAA All-American First Team selection in his sophomore and third years of college.
During his junior year, Jordan’s impressive form earned him Wooden and Naismith College Basketball Player of the Year awards. After a brilliant junior year, he decided to forego his senior year of college and submitted to the 1984 NBA draft, where the Chicago Bulls selected him as the third pick of the draft. In 1986 he returned to college, where he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in geography.
Michael Jordan’s Professional Basketball Career & Awards
Chicago Bulls (1984–1993, 1995–1998)
In his first season in the NBA, Jordan’s performance made him a fan favorite, leading him to appear in the All-Star Game. The All-Star Game in the 1984–85 season was controversial as the established stars were upset with the attention Jordan received from fans and thus refused to pass it on. Jordan, who didn’t seem to mind the excitement around him, stayed in great form and won the Rookie of the Year award averaging 28.2 points.
Jordan failed to perform well in his sophomore season due to a broken foot, which caused him to miss 64 games. However, he made a full recovery and went on to score in his third season. That season, he became the second of only two players in NBA history to have 3,000 points in a season. He also recorded 100 blocked shots and 200 steals, making him the first player to record such numbers.
In his fourth season in the NBA, the 1987-88 season, Jordan led the scoring charts and also won the Defensive Player of the Award. In the 1988-89 and 1989-90 seasons, Jordan led the Bulls to the Eastern Conference Finals but was defeated by the Detroit Pistons both seasons.
The 1990-91 season marked the beginning of good times in the NBA for Jordan. His performance during the season earned him a second MVP award after winning the first in the 1988 season. He also led the Bulls to defeat LA Lakers, who had the mighty Magic Johnson in the NBA Finals.
For his performance, Jordan was named Finals MVP. The following season, he and the Bulls maintained their peak form and won the NBA Finals, while Jordan was named NBA Finals MVP and MVP of the Season for the second straight season.
In the 1992-93 season, Jordan didn’t win the NBA MVP, but he did win a third straight NBA championship and set the record for being the first player to ever win three consecutive NBA Finals MVP awards.
First Retirement
In October 1993, Jordan retired from the NBA. He cited his father’s death as a factor influencing his decision but said his desire to stop playing was the main reason for his resignation. However, it was rumored that Michael Jordan’s retirement was punishment for his involvement in gambling.
Return to the NBA
In March 1995, Michael Jordan announced his return to the NBA, saying, “I’m back.” In November 1994, Jordan’s #23 jersey was retired by the Bulls, and while he could use the jersey number, he chose to keep the #45 wear. However, he later decided to revert to his old jersey number, resulting in the Bulls being fined for failing to report the change to NBA officials.
By the 1995-96 season, Jordan had reverted to his old self. He won NBA MVP, All-Star Game MVP, NBA Championship, and NBA Finals MVP Awards. Winning the championship that season was emotional for Jordan because it was the first championship he won after his father’s assassination and the championship was won on Father’s Day. Jordan cried after the win.
The following season, Jordan did not win All-Star MVP and NBA MVP, but did win the NBA Championship and also his fourth NBA Finals MVP. In the 1997-98 season, Jordan was on an impressive run again, winning NBA MVP, All-Star MVP, NBA Finals MVP, and the NBA Championship.
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Second Retirement
In January 1999, Michael Jordan retired for the second time. A year later, he returned to the NBA as co-owner of a basketball franchise, the Washington Wizards.
Washington Wizards (2001–2003)
He returned as a Washington Wizards player in September 2001 and played until April 2003, where he played his last NBA game against the Philadelphia 76ers in front of a crowd of 21,257.
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Michael Jordan baseball career
In February 1994, Michael Jordan signed with the Chicago White Sox to play in Major League Baseball (MLB). In March 1995, as a result of the MLB strike, he decided to retire from baseball.
Michael Jordan’s International Career
Michael Jordan’s international career is as glamorous as his NBA career. At the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, Jordan, who was still a college student, led the US team in points and won his first Olympic gold medal. At the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Jordan, who was part of the star-studded Dream Team, won his second Olympic gold medal. He also won gold at the 1983 Pan American Games in Caracas and the 1992 FIBA America’s Championship in Portland.
Michael Jordans Wife, Personal Life & Charity
In 1989, Michael Jordan married Juanita Vanoy, who gave birth to three children – two sons and a daughter. In January 2002, they filed for divorce due to irreconcilable differences, but soon reconciled. But in December 2006, they divorced amicably. Juanita Vanoy received a $168 million settlement. In 2013 he married Yvette Prieto, a Cuban model. In February 2014, Prieto gave birth to a set of identical twins named Victoria and Ysabel.
In July 2006, a court ruled that Jordan did not owe his ex-lover Karla Knafel $5 million for breach of contract after it was revealed he had paid her $250,000 to keep their affair a secret.
Between 2001 and 2014, Jordan hosted the Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitational, a golf tournament that raised money for charity. Jordan was named Chief Wish Ambassador for the Make-A-Wish Foundation in 2008. As of 2019, Jordan has helped the foundation raise up to $5 million.
In 1984, Jordan’s Nike Air Jordan shoes were released and it became a viral sensation. The brand generated around $1 billion in sales for Nike, as revealed by Forbes. Jordan has had various endorsement deals with Gatorade, Nike, McDonald’s, Chevrolet, Wheaties, Coca-Cola and a few others.
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In 2014, after increasing his stake in the basketball franchise, the Charlotte Hornets, from 80% to 89.5%, Jordan became basketball’s first billionaire.
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