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Michael Jordan
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| Position | Shooting guard |
|---|---|
| Nickname | "Air Jordan", "His Airness" |
| Height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
| Weight | 216 lb (98 kg) |
| Nationality |  United States |
| Born | February 17, 1963 (age 44) Brooklyn, New York City |
| College | North Carolina |
| Draft | 3rd overall, 1984 Chicago Bulls |
| Pro career | 1984–1993, 1995–1998, 2001–2003 |
| Former teams | Chicago Bulls 1984–1993, 1995–1998 Washington Wizards 2001–2003 |
| Awards | ACC Men's Basketball Player of the Year (1984) USBWA College Player of the Year (1984) Naismith College Player of the Year (1984) |
Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963) is a retired American professional basketball player. Widely considered one of the greatest basketball players of all time, he became one of the most effectively marketed athletes of his generation and was instrumental in popularizing the NBA (National Basketball Association) around the world in the 1980s and 1990s.
After a standout career at the University of North Carolina, Jordan joined the NBA's Chicago Bulls in 1984. He quickly emerged as one of the stars of the league, entertaining crowds with his prolific scoring. His leaping ability, illustrated by performing slam dunks from the foul line at Slam Dunk Contests, earned him the nicknames "Air Jordan" and "His Airness." He also gained a reputation as one of the best defensive players in basketball. In 1991, he won his first NBA championship with the Bulls, and followed that with titles in 1992 and 1993, securing a "three-peat". Though Jordan abruptly left the NBA in October 1993 to pursue a career in baseball, he rejoined the Bulls in 1995 and led them to three additional championships (1996, 1997, and 1998). His 1995–96 Bulls team won an NBA record 72 regular season games. Jordan retired for a second time in 1999, but he returned for two more NBA seasons as a member of the Washington Wizards from 2001 to 2003.
Jordan's individual accolades and accomplishments include five NBA MVP (Most Valuable Player) awards, ten All-NBA First Team designations, nine All-Defensive First Team honors, fourteen NBA All-Star game appearances, ten scoring titles, three stealing titles, and the 1988 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award. He holds the NBA record for highest career regular season scoring average with 30.1 points per game, as well as averaging a record 33.4 points per game in the playoffs. In 1999, he was named the greatest North American athlete of the 20th century by ESPN, and was second to Babe Ruth on the Associated Press's list of athletes of the century.
Jordan is also noted for his product endorsements. He fueled the success of Nike's Air Jordan sneakers, which were introduced in 1985 and remain popular today. Jordan also starred in the 1996 feature film Space Jam. He is currently a part-owner and Managing Member of Basketball Operations of the Charlotte Bobcats, who reside in his home state of North Carolina.
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Early years
Michael Jordan was born to James R. Jordan, Sr. and Deloris Jordan in Brooklyn, New York. His family moved to Wilmington, North Carolina, when he was seven years old.[1] Jordan attended Emsley A. Laney High School in Wilmington, where he anchored his athletic career by playing baseball, football, and basketball. He tried out for the varsity basketball team during his sophomore year, but at 5 feet 11 inches (1.80 m), he was deemed too short to play at that level. The following summer, however, he grew four inches (10 cm)[2] and trained rigorously. Upon earning a spot on the varsity roster, Jordan averaged 25 points per game over his final two seasons of high school play. As a senior, he was selected to the McDonald's All-American Team[3] after averaging a triple-double: 29.2 points, 11.6 rebounds, and 10.1 assists.[4]
In 1981, Jordan earned a basketball scholarship to the University of North Carolina, where he majored in cultural geography. As a freshman in coach Dean Smith's team-oriented system, he was named ACC Freshman of the Year as he averaged 13.4 points per game on 53.4% shooting.[5] Playing alongside All-American and future Hall of Famer James Worthy, Jordan was not initially a standout player for the North Carolina Tar Heels. However, he made the game-winning jump shot in the 1982 NCAA Championship game against Georgetown, which was led by future NBA rival Patrick Ewing.[2] Jordan later described this shot as the major turning point in his basketball career.[6] After winning the Naismith and the Wooden College Player of the Year Awards in 1984, Jordan left North Carolina one year before scheduled graduation to enter the 1984 NBA Draft. The Chicago Bulls selected Jordan with the third overall pick, after Hakeem Olajuwon (Houston Rockets) and Sam Bowie (Portland Trail Blazers). Jordan returned to North Carolina to complete his degree in 1986.[7]
Professional sports career
Early career
During his first season in the NBA,[2] Jordan averaged 28.2 points per game (ppg) on 51.5% shooting (field goal percentage).[5] He quickly became a fan favorite even in opposing arenas,[8][9][10] and appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated with the heading "A Star is Born" just over a month into his pro career.[11][12] Jordan was also voted in as an All-Star starter by the fans in his rookie season.[2] Controversy arose before the All-Star game when word surfaced that several veteran players, led by Isiah Thomas, were upset by the amount of attention Jordan was receiving.[2] This led to a so called "freeze-out" on Jordan, where players refused to pass him the ball throughout the game.[2] The controversy left Jordan relatively unaffected when he returned to regular season play, and he would go on to be voted Rookie of the Year.[13] The Bulls finished the season 38-44,[14] and lost in the first round of the playoffs in four games to the Milwaukee Bucks.[13]
Jordan's second season was cut short by a broken foot which caused him to miss 64 games. Despite Jordan's injury and a 30–52 record,[14] the Bulls made the playoffs. Jordan recovered in time to participate in the playoffs and performed well upon his return. Against a 1985–86 Boston Celtics team that is often considered one of the greatest in NBA history,[15] Jordan set the still-unbroken record for points in a playoff game with 63 in game 2.[16] The Celtics, however, managed to sweep the series.[13]
Jordan recovered completely by the 1986-87 season, and had one of the most prolific scoring seasons in NBA history. He became the only player other than Wilt Chamberlain to score 3,000 points in a season, averaging a league high 37.1 points on 48.2% shooting.[5] Despite his scoring success, Magic Johnson won the league's Most Valuable Player Award. The Bulls reached 40 wins,[14] and advanced to the playoffs for the third consecutive year. However, they were again swept by the Celtics.[13]
Mid-career: Pistons roadblock
Jordan led the league in scoring again in the 1987–88 season, averaging 35.0 ppg on 53.5% shooting,[5] and won his first league MVP award. He was also named the defensive player of the year, a rarity for a guard, as he averaged 1.6 blocks and a league high 3.16 steals per game.[17] The Bulls finished 50–32,[14] and made it out of the first round of the playoffs for the first time in Jordan's career, as they defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers in five games.[18] However, the Bulls then lost in five games to the more experienced Detroit Pistons,[13] who were