With an estimated 450 million people playing basketball around the globe, it can be hard to stand out from the crowd. Nonetheless, Michael Jordan has emerged from the court to become one of the world’s most famous basketball players of all time. But the question is, who is Michael Jordan?

Who is Michael Jordan?

Having solidified his name in the history books, Michael Jordan has forged his success as a professional basketball player. Beginning his illustrious career as a basketballer playing college basketball for the North Carolina Tar Heels, Michael has since played fifteen seasons of the National Basketball Association Championships, winning six NBA Championships with the team Chicago Bulls. Standing at 6 foot 6 inches, Michael is renowned for his former position as a shooting guard.

Michael is currently married to Yvette Prieto and has five children – Victoria, Jeffrey Michael, Ysabel, Marcus and Jasmine M Jordan.

Michael’s Early Career:

Possessing an interest in sports from a young age, Michael played baseball, football and basketball at his high school – Emsley A Laney High School. Michael’s passion for basketball began to flourish, and he tried out for the basketball team in his sophomore year. Unfortunately, Michael was deemed too short to play, standing at just 5 foot 11 inches at the time. Despite this adversity, Michael strived to follow his dreams, becoming the star of the junior team. He later grew in height and qualified to join the senior team, impressing coaches with his average of 25 points per game. Continually impressing all that watched him play, Michael was selected to play the McDonald’s All-American Game in 1981.

College Basketball:

Solidifying his prominence as a player, Michael played basketball throughout his time at college. Named ACC Freshman of the Year, Michael scored the winning shot in the NCAA Championship in 1982, later earning selection to play in the NCAA All-American First Team. He also claimed the Naismith and Wooden College Player of the Year Awards during his college career.

Michael’s Professional Career:

Deemed one of the most financially successful athletes in the world, Michael’s professional career began in 1984. Now worth a staggering $1.7 billion, Michael has been inducted into the FIBA Basketball Hall of Fame twice. Despite his successes, Michael has also had his fair share of losses. Michael Jordan has lost 11 NBA finals and 366 games, demonstrating his resilience as a player.

1984 – 1987:

During the years of 1984 to 1987, Michael played for the Chicago Bulls, selected to join the team through the 1984 NBA draft. Making his professional debut at the Chicago Stadium, Michael scored an impressive 16 points and marked his prominence as an NBA player. Voted NBA Rookie of the Year, Michael also set the still-unbroken record for the most points in a playoff game – 63 points. He also became the first NBA player to gain 100 blocked shots and 200 steals in the history of the NBA, further marking his name in the history books.

1987 – 1990:

During this time period, Michael continued to play for the Chicago Bulls, again proving his worth as a prominent player. Winning his first MVP Award and NBA Defensive Player of the Year, Michael also scored a career-high of 69 points.

1991 – 1993:

During this period, Michael won another MVP Award and his first NBA Finals MVP Award. Continuing to display dominance on the court, Michael also became the first player in NBA history to claim three consecutive Finals MVP Awards. In 1993, Michael retired from playing in elite basketball, and instead began playing in Minor League Basketball – playing for the Chicago White Sox, Birmingham Barons and the Scottsdale Scorpions teams.

1995:

In 1995, Michael returned to play in the NBA with the Chicago Bulls. Upon his return to the NBA, Michael displayed dominance on the court despite his time away from the sport. He also made history once more after he posted the first triple-double in the All-Star Game.

1999 – 2001:

In 1999, Michael retired again from basketball and instead opted to sit on the sidelines of the court as a part-owner and President of the Washington Wizards. A demanding role, Michael was responsible for all aspects of the Wizards’ operations, and later hired Doug Collins, former Chicago Bulls Head Coach, as the coach of the Wizards.

2001 – 2003

Michael returned to play for one final time in 2001, joining the Washington Wizards team as a player this time. Playing in NBA All-Star Games, Michael held the record for the all-time leading scorer in All-Star Game history (since broken by LeBron James and Kobe Bryant).

Representing America – National Team Career:

As a renowned player, Michael was scouted to join the US national basketball team. He represented the US at the 1983 Pan American Games, the 1983 Olympic Games, the 1992 Tournament of the Americas and the 1992 Olympic Games.

National Team Wins:

• 1983 – Pan American Games Gold medal
• 1984 – Los Angeles Olympic Games Gold medal
• 1992 – ‘Dream Team’ Tournament of the Americas Gold medal
• 1992 – Barcelona Olympic Games Gold medal

Michael Jordan’s Legacy:

Having solidified his legacy in American basketball, Michael has been inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame twice, the United States Olympic Hall of Fame, the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame twice.

Making his talent clear from the very first NBA season he played in, Michael is now one of the most famous athletes in history, with a unique legacy tied to his name. He has appeared on the front cover of Sports Illustrated an impressive 50 times and been named as one of the 50 Greatest Living Athletes by GQ. He has also been awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama and voted the Greatest Basketball Player of the 20th Century by the Associated Press.

Philanthropy:

Throughout his career, Michael has also been a passionate philanthropist. He has worked with esteemed charities such as the Make-A-Wish Foundation, for whom he has acted as a Chief Wish Ambassador and granted over 200 wishes to terminally ill children and young adults. He has also donated money in aid of Hurricane Dorian and Hurricane Florence. After the murder of George Floyd in 2020, Michael also pledged to donate $100 million over the next decade to charities that are dedicated to ensuring racial equality, greater access to education and social justice.

Books Written by Michael:

Michael is also a published author, having written the titles Rare Air: Michael on Michael, I Can’t Accept Not Trying: Michael Jordan on the Pursuit of Excellence, For the Love of the Game: My Story and Driven from Within.

He has also had several books written about him, including Michael Jordan Speaks: Lessons From the World’s Greatest Champion.

Films & TV:

Michael has also been a prominent feature of various films and tv productions. He played himself in the 1996 film Space Jam, was the subject of the IMAX documentary Michael Jordan to the Max and was the subject of The Last Dance.

Media Endorsements & Business Ventures

Michael is also now one of the most financially successful athletes, having secured hundreds of media endorsement roles with the likes of Nike, McDonald’s, Gatorade, Coca-Cola and Chevrolet, to name but a few. He is best known for his work with Nike, with the iconic Air Jordan shoe named after him. Michael’s work with such companies earned him recognition as the 20th Most Powerful Celebrity in the World by Forbes.

He has also been the part-owner of the Miami Marlins, owner of Michael Jordan Motorsports and a majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats. His business ventures have also earned him recognition as the Fifth-Richest African-American.

Michael has also made various media appearances in which he speaks about the highlights of his career. As a speaker, Michael shares the adversity he had to overcome to break into the world of basketball, and the qualities of perseverance, determination and drive he has had to hone throughout the duration of his career. Having delivered various enshrinement speeches, Michael commands an audience with ease and inspires them to follow in his sporting footsteps.

Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Speech:

1985 Rookie of the Year Speech:

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