Michael Jordan is a businessman and former professional basketball player known by his initials MJ. Michael played for 15 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and won 6 NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls team. He is the principal owner and chairman of the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets and 23XI Racing, the NASCAR Cup Series. During the 1980s and 1990s, he became integral in popularizing the NBA worldwide and became a global cultural icon.
Michael played college basketball with the North Carolina Tar Heels, and in 1982, as a freshman, he was a member of the Tar Heels national championship team. In 1984, he joined the Bulls as the 3rd overall draft pick and quickly became a league star. His leaping ability, performing slam dunks from the free-throw line in Slam Dunk Contests, gained him the nicknames “His Airness” and “Air Jordan.” In 1991, Michael won his first NBA title with the Bulls and achieved these titles in 1992 and 1993. In the 1993–94 NBA season, Michael abruptly retired from basketball but returned in March 1995 and led the Bulls to three more championships in 1996, 1997, and 1998. He also recorded 72 regular wins in the 1995–96 NBA season. Michael retired for the 2nd time in January 1999 and later returned. From 2001 to 2003, he played for two more NBA seasons as a member of the Washington Wizards.
In his professional career, Michael was also selected to play for the United States national team. He won 4 gold medals at the Pan American Games (1983), Summer Olympics (1984), Tournament of the Americas (1992), and Summer Olympics (1992).
Michael’s accolades and accomplishments include 6 NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards, 10 NBA scoring titles, 5 NBA MVP awards, 10 All-NBA First Team designations, 9 All-Defensive First Team honors, 14 NBA All-Star Game selections, 3 NBA All-Star Game MVP awards, 3 NBA steals titles and 1988 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award. In addition, he holds the NBA records for a career regular season, recording an average (of 30.12 points per game) and a career playoff scoring average (33.45 points per game). In 1999, ESPN named Michael as the 20th century’s greatest North American athlete. He was twice inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, first in 2009 for his career and then in 2010 as part of the 1992 United States men’s Olympic basketball team. In 2009, Michael became a member of the United States Olympic Hall of Fame; in 2010, a member of the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame, in 2015, an individual member of the FIBA Hall of Fame; and in 2017, a “Dream Team” member. Further, in 2021, he was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.
One of his generation’s most effectively marketed athletes, Michael is known for his product endorsements. In 1984, Nike’s Air Jordan sneakers were introduced, which are still popular was fueled by Michael. Further, in 1966, he starred as himself in the live-action animation hybrid film Space Jam. In 2006, he became part-owner and the head of basketball operations for the Hornets. In 2016, Michael became the 1st billionaire player in NBA history. That same year, President Barack Obama awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Michael Jordan Discuss About Harassment From Chicago People
During Michael Jordan playing career with the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards, he could not step foot outside of his house, as 100s of fans would wait for his autographs and handshakes.
During the documentary’ Last Dance,’ Michael spoke about his life in the NBA, that he had to meet fans before and after games constantly. Another side of his fame was his family’s expectations, which he had not met much of the time. His ex-wife, Juanita Vanoy, received quite a lot of popularity during her marriage to Michael despite not being a part of the league.
Juanita was quite a private person, though; she gave some interviews. In 1992, she was asked about the home they were building during one interview. She replied that the mansion in Highland Park was officially under construction. In 1994, it would be completed, and they lived close to two decades. Most people thought that Juanita and Michael just wanted a better home to live in, but in this interview, she explained that they wanted to build this home away from the public. The reason was the fans; their private life was disturbed around their last house as fans asked for autographs.
For 10 years now, Michael has been trying to sell this mansion but with no luck. The reason behind this is that it is a highly personalized mansion. The original asked price for the mansion was $29 million, but since then, it has dropped to less than $14.9 million.
This mansion consists of 9 bedrooms, 19 bathrooms, and 1 double grand staircase; it has been built upon 7.39 acres of private land, including a basketball, golf course, and tennis court.
Michael Jordan Early Life:
| Full Real Name | Michael Jeffery Jordan |
| Family Name | Jordan |
| Profession | Professional basketball player and a businessman |
| Date Of Birth | February 17th, 1963 |
| Age | 59 years old |
| Birthday | February 17th |
| Year Of Birth | 1963 |
| Nick Name | His Airness and Air Jordan |
| Current Residence | Jupiter Island, Florida |
| Country | USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | Black |
| Religion | Roman Catholicism |
Michael was born on 17th February 1963 at Cumberland Hospital in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. When he was around 5, the family moved to Wilmington, North Carolina.
Michael Jordan Family Background:
| Father | James R. Jordan Sr. |
| Mother | Deloris |
| Brothers | James Jr. and Larry |
| Sisters | Deloris E. and Roslyn |
Michael was born to Deloris, a bank employee, and James R. Jordan Sr., an equipment supervisor.
Michael was raised along with his 4 siblings named, James Jr., Deloris, Larry, and Roslyn. Michael comes in 4th number out of the 5 children. Larry and Michael both grew up playing basketball every evening in their backyard.
Michael Jordan Education:
| Highest Qualification | Graduation |
| University | University of North Carolina |
| High School | Emsley A. Laney High School |
Michael attended Emsley A. Laney High School in Wilmington, where he played basketball, baseball, and football. During his sophomore year, he tried out for the basketball varsity team but was not selected due to his height (5 feet 11 inches). In contrast, his taller friend Harvest Leroy Smith was the only sophomore student to be selected.
After the selection, Michael wanted to prove his worth, so he became the star of Laney’s junior varsity team and earned 40-point games. That year summer, he grew four inches taller and trained hard. Later, he earned a spot on the varsity roster and averaged more than 25 points per game over his final 2 seasons of high school play. Further, as a senior, Michael was selected to play in the 1981 McDonald’s All-American Game scoring 30 points, averaging 27 points per game, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists per game for the season. Jordan was recruited by several college basketball programs, including North Carolina, Duke, South Carolina, Syracuse, and Virginia. In 1981, Michael accepted a basketball scholarship to the University of North Carolina. He played college basketball for 3 seasons under coach Dean Smith with the North Carolina Tar Heels. As a freshman in 1982, Michael was a member of the Tar Heels national championship. Further, in 1984, he graduated with cultural geography major.
Michael Jordan Physical stats:
| Weight In Kg | 110kg |
| Height In Feet | 6 ft 6 in |
| Hair Color | Bald head |
| Eye Color | Dark brown |
Michael stands 6 ft 6 in tall and weighs around 110kg. He has attractive dark brown eyes and an Athletic build. His jersey Size is 9 (US), his hand length is 9.75 in, and his shoe size is 13 (US). Michael’s distinctive features include a bald head, playing with his tongue out, long legs and arms, playing with bubble gum in his mouth, and an earring in his left ear.
Michael’s strengths are long arms, great vertical jump, a good clutch player, work ethic, defense, great in isolation 1 on 1, great back technique, and in post-shooting.
Michael Jordan Birth Signs:
| Sun Sign | Aquarius |
| Star Sign | Aquarius |
| Birth Sign Duality | Assertive |
| Birth Sign Modality | Fixed |
According to Michael’s birthdate, he falls under the Aquarius zodiac and is now 59 years old. His birth flower is Primrose, and his birth element is Air.
Aquarians are advanced, self-reliant, exceptional, free-spirited, eccentric, optimistic, highly creative, and intellectual. People born under this zodiac are marked by independence; they don’t like to be instructed on what to do. Though they can be social, they only participate in social interactions if they want to.
Michael Jordan Net worth:
| Net Worth | $2 billion |
Michael is a retired American basketball player, team owner, entrepreneur, and product endorser. His estimated networth is $25 million, and he is one of the wealthiest athletes. A 35-year-old American actor named Michael B. Jordan is thought to be worth $25 million thanks to his acting work and other business endeavours.
About his real estate details, In 1991, Michael purchased land in Highland Park, Illinois, where he built a 56,000 square-foot (5,200 m2) mansion which was completed in 1995. Later, in 2012, he listed the mansion for sale. In addition, Michael owns houses in North Carolina and Jupiter Island, Florida.
Michael Jordan Relationship Status:
| Spouse Name | Yvette Prieto |
| Sons | Jeffrey and Marcus |
| Daughters | Jasmine, Victoria and Ysabel |
| No Of Children | 5 |
| Marital Status | married |
On 2nd September 1989, Michael married Juanita Vanoy at A Little White Wedding Chapel (Las Vegas, Nevada). The couple had three children Jeffrey and Marcus (sons) and Jasmine (a daughter). On 4th January 2002, the couple filed for divorce, stating irreconcilable differences, but shortly they reconciled. Later, they again filed for divorce, and on 29th December 2006, they were granted a final decree of dissolution of marriage. They said the decision was made “mutually and amicably.” Juanita received around $168 million in a settlement.
Michael’s sons played for the basketball teams in college and university.
On Christmas 2011, Michael proposed to his longtime girlfriend, Yvette Prieto, a Cuban-American model. On 27th April 2013, they got married at Bethesda-by-the-Sea Episcopal Church. That same year on 30th November, it was announced that they were expecting their first child. On 11th February 2014, Yvette gave birth to identical twin daughters, Victoria and Ysabel.
In 2019, Michael became a grandfather when his daughter Jasmine welcomed his son; the child’s father is Rakeem Christmas, a professional basketball player.
Michael Jordan Career:
In the 1984 NBA draft, the Chicago Bulls selected Michael as the 3rd overall pick. In the first season, he scored an average of 28.2 points. Later, Michael received the NBA Rookie of the Year Award and was also selected for the All-Star Game. In 1986-87, Jordan recorded above 3,000 score points in a single season despite his injury and made everyone keep an eye on him and keep up with him.
Later, in 1990 the Bulls reached the Eastern Conference Finals and won their 1st NBA Championship. Similarly, in the 1992-93 season, the Bulls won their 2nd and 3rd NBA championship, all in a row. In 1993, Michael took a short session in the minor baseball league but later returned to basketball. After his comeback in 1995, Michael scored an average of 30.4 points per game, while in the 1996-97 season, the Bulls recorded around 69 wins, and Michael won his 6th NBA title.
In 1999, after his 2nd retirement, Michael joined the Washington Wizards as a part-owner and basketball team president. According to reports, the salary of Wizards was not enough, so in 2001, he renounced his management and ownership and position as a player.
Olympics:
In 1984, Michael joined the Olympic games as a member of the US Olympic basketball team (Los Angeles). Further, in 1992, he was involved in the Olympic Games with his American team in Barcelona, Spain; the team won the gold both times.
Retirement:
Michael spent around 19 years as a professional basketball player. But he retired 3 times; in 1993, 1998, and 2003. Michael ended his basketball career earning 32,292 total points and a 30.12 points-per-game average.
Documentary and Film:
Michael is legendary and has been shown in “The Last Dance” documentary, which aired on ESPN and became available on Netflix. He was paid between $3-4 million for the documentary, but Michael donated it to charities.
In 1996, Michael debuted as the star in the film Space Jam. He has paired with cartoon legends Duffy Duck and Bugs Bunny in the animated movie.
Business:
Michael has been a part of numerous business and commercial ventures. Many brands sign him up for endorsements. In 1984, he signed a deal with Nike and served on the Nike Inc. board of directors. The following year, Nike launched the signature Air Jordan basketball sneakers. Eventually, the brand name became more famous due to Michael’s influence over 30 years. Air Jordans has remained a best-seller.
Besides Nike, Michael made endorsement deals with popular brands, including Coca-Cola, Chevrolet, McDonald’s, Upper Deck, and Hanes.
Steakhouse:
In 1988, Michael launched Michael Jordan’s The Steak House NYC, and the motive was to reflect his tastes and style. As of 2023, it has 4 locations in Connecticut, Illinois, and Washington. Later, He also opened restaurants in Chicago at the Ilani Casino Resort and the Mohegan Sun casino.
Charlotte Hornets:
In 2006, Michael bought a share of the Charlotte Hornets and was also associated as the team’s managing member of basketball operations. Further, in 2010, he became the team’s majority owner and started serving as the chairman.
Golf Charity:
From 2001 to 2014, Michael hosted a charity golf event, “Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitational.” Cats Care, Make-A-Wish, Keep Memory Alive, the James R. Jordan Foundation, and Opportunity Village received proceedings.
Michael Jordan Social Appearance:
Michael has around 865K, 375K, and 350K followers on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. He mostly shares his professional life posts.
