Michael Jordan facts for kids
Jordan in 2014
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| Charlotte Hornets | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Minority owner | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | February 17, 1963 Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
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| High school | Emsley A. Laney (Wilmington, North Carolina) |
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| Listed height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 216 lb (98 kg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College | North Carolina (1981–1984) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NBA Draft | 1984 / Round: 1 / Pick: 3rd overall | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Selected by the Chicago Bulls | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pro career | 1984–1993, 1995–1998, 2001–2003 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| League | NBA | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1984–1993, 1995–1998 |
Chicago Bulls | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2001–2003 | Washington Wizards | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Career NBA statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Points | 32,292 (30.1 ppg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rebounds | 6,672 (6.2 rpg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assists | 5,633 (5.3 apg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963), also known by his initials MJ, is an American businessman and former professional basketball player. He played fifteen seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA), winning six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls. Jordan is the main owner and chairman of the Charlotte Hornets of the NBA and of 23XI Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series. He was an important part of making the NBA popular around the world in the 1980s and 1990s.
Jordan played college basketball for three seasons under coach Dean Smith with the North Carolina Tar Heels. As a freshman, he was a member of the Tar Heels' national championship team in 1982.
Jordan joined the Bulls in 1984 as the third overall draft pick. He became known for his leaping ability. Performing slam dunks from the free-throw line in Slam Dunk Contests, earned him the nicknames "Air Jordan" and "His Airness." Jordan suddenly retired from basketball before the 1993–94 NBA season to play Minor League Baseball but returned to the Bulls in March 1995 and won many more awards as a basketball player.
Companies who sell products paid Jordan to endorse (publicly support or approve of something) their products. The most popular endorsement was Nike's Air Jordan sneakers, which were introduced in 1984 and remain popular today.
Contents
Early life
Jordan was born at Cumberland Hospital in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, New York City, on February 17, 1963. He is the son of bank employee Deloris (née Peoples) and equipment supervisor James R. Jordan Sr. In 1968, he moved with his family to Wilmington, North Carolina. Jordan attended Emsley A. Laney High School in Wilmington, where he played basketball, baseball, and football.
During his sophomore year, he tried out for the varsity (highest level in high school) basketball team but did not make the cut. This motivated him to work and train harder. His hard work paid off when he made the varsity basketball team the next year.
Jordan was recruited by many colleges to play basketball for them. In 1981, he accepted a basketball scholarship to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he played for the Tar Heels and majored in cultural geography.
College career
As a freshman in coach Dean Smith's team-oriented system, Jordan was named ACC Freshman of the Year. He made the game-winning jump shot in the 1982 NCAA Championship game against Georgetown, which was led by future NBA rival Patrick Ewing. Jordan later described this shot as the major turning point in his basketball career.
Jordan left North Carolina one year before his scheduled graduation to enter the 1984 NBA draft. Jordan returned to North Carolina to complete his degree in 1986 when he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in cultural geography. In 2002, Jordan was named to the ACC 50th Anniversary men's basketball team honoring the 50 greatest players in ACC history.
Professional career
Chicago Bulls (1984–1993)
The Chicago Bulls selected Jordan with the third overall pick of the 1984 NBA draft. In his first game, he played at the Chicago Stadium on October 26, 1984, and scored 16 points. Roy S. Johnson of The New York Times described him as "the phenomenal rookie of the Bulls" in November, and Jordan appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated with the heading "A Star Is Born" in December.
Another event that helped Jordan rise to fame took place during an exhibition game in Trieste, Italy. Jordan shattered the glass on a backboard during a slam dunk. Shortly afterward, during the third game of the 1985–86 season, he broke his foot, causing him to miss 64 games.
Jordan completely recovered in time for the 1986–87 season and became the only player other than Wilt Chamberlain to score 3,000 points in a season. The Bulls entered the 1989–90 season as a team on the rise, with their core group of Jordan and young improving players like Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant, and under the guidance of new coach Phil Jackson.
In the years 1991-1993, Jordan led the Bulls to three straight NBA finals and won them. This is called a "three-peat." Jordan became the first player in NBA history to win three straight NBA Finals MVP awards. Throughout his basketball career, he regularly led the league in scoring, in winning MVP (Most Valuable Player) Awards, and in winning other awards.
Gambling
During the Bulls' 1993 NBA playoffs, Jordan was seen gambling in Atlantic City, New Jersey, the night before a game against the New York Knicks. The previous year, he admitted that he had to cover $57,000 in gambling losses, and author Richard Esquinas wrote a book in 1993 claiming he had won $1.25 million from Jordan on the golf course.
First retirement and stint in Minor League Baseball (1993–1995)
| Michael Jordan | |||
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Jordan in training with the Scottsdale Scorpions in 1994
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| Birmingham Barons – No. 45, 35 | |||
| Outfielder | |||
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| Professional debut | |||
| Southern League: April 8, 1994, for the Birmingham Barons | |||
| Arizona Fall League: 1994, for the Scottsdale Scorpions | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| March 10, 1995, for the Birmingham Barons | |||
| Southern League statistics (through 1994) |
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| Batting average | .202 | ||
| Home runs | 3 | ||
| Runs batted in | 51 | ||
| Arizona Fall League statistics | |||
| Batting average | .252 | ||
| Runs batted in | 8 | ||
| Teams | |||
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On October 6, 1993, Jordan announced his retirement, saying that he lost his desire to play basketball. Jordan later said that the death of his father three months earlier helped shape his decision. James R. Jordan Sr. died on July 23, 1993, in Lumberton, North Carolina.
Jordan was close to his father; as a child, he imitated the way his father stuck out his tongue while concentrating on his work. He later adopted it as his own signature, often displaying it as he drove to the basket. In 1996, he founded a Chicago-area Boys & Girls Club and dedicated it to his father. In his 1998 autobiography For the Love of the Game, Jordan wrote that he was preparing for retirement as early as the summer of 1992. Being tired from taking part in "Dream Team" during the 1992 Summer Olympics helped Jordan make this decision.
Jordan further surprised the sports world by signing a Minor League Baseball contract with the Chicago White Sox on February 7, 1994. He reported to spring training in Sarasota, Florida, and was assigned to the team's minor league system on March 31, 1994. Jordan said that he wanted to chase the dream of his late father, who had always seen his son as a Major League Baseball player.
"I'm back:" Chicago Bulls (1995-1998)
On March 18, 1995, Jordan announced his return to the NBA through a two-word press release: "I'm back." The next day, Jordan took to the court with the Bulls. His team did not make it to the playoffs that year.
Jordan worked and trained hard for the 1995–96 season. Dennis Rodman joined the team, and the Bulls began winning again. From 1993 through 1998, Jordan and Rodman led the Bulls to a second "three-peat." Jordan earned his fourth, fifth, and sixth Finals MVP Awards during these years as well. The 1998 Finals holds the highest television rating of any Finals series in history.
Second retirement (1999–2001)
Jordan retired from the NBA for the second time on January 13, 1999. On January 19, 2000, he became part owner and president of basketball operations for the Washington Wizards. Despite his January 1999 claim that he was "99.9% certain" he would never play another NBA game, Jordan expressed interest in making another comeback in the summer of 2001, this time with his new team. He spent much of the spring and summer of 2001 in training and hired his old Chicago Bulls head coach, Doug Collins, as Washington's coach for the next season.
Washington Wizards (2001–2003)
On September 25, 2001, Jordan announced his return to the NBA to play for the Washington Wizards. He said that he would give his salary as a player to the victims of the September 11 attacks. Although the Wizards finished the season with a better record and in previous years, Jordan's age was catching up with him. He was not able to play as well as he did when he was younger. His season ended after only 60 games.
Playing in his 14th and final NBA All-Star Game in 2003, Jordan passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the all-time leading scorer in All-Star Game history, a record since broken by Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. During Jordan's final two seasons, the Wizards did not make the playoffs. Jordan openly said that his teammates did not have enough focus and intensity.
Final retirement (2003)
Jordan received a four-minute standing ovation in his final game at the United Center in Chicago, which was his old home court. Jordan played his final NBA game on April 16, 2003, in Philadelphia. Jordan received a three-minute standing ovation from his teammates, his opponents, the officials, and the crowd of 21,257 fans.
Player profile
Jordan was a shooting guard who could also play as a small forward and a point guard. He had a well-known work ethic. He also looked for weak spots in other players and would play to beat those weak spots. Jordan was known to have strong eyesight.
Of the 15 seasons Jordan was in the NBA, he played all 82 regular season games nine times. He excelled at driving to the basket as well as drawing fouls. Jordan also developed the ability to post up his opponents and score with his trademark fadeaway jump shot, using his leaping ability to keep opponents from blocking his shots. The three-point field goal was not Jordan's strength, especially in his early years. Later in Jordan's career, he improved his three-point shooting.
Legacy
Jordan is the most decorated player in NBA history. Jordan finished among the top three in regular season MVP voting 10 times. He was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996, and selected to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021. Jordan is one of only seven players in history to win an NCAA championship, an NBA championship, and an Olympic gold medal (doing so twice with the 1984 and 1992 U.S. men's basketball teams). Since 1976, the year of the ABA–NBA merger, Jordan and Scottie Pippen are the only two players to win six NBA Finals playing for one team. In the All-Star Game fan ballot, Jordan received the most votes nine times, more than any other player.
TV sports channels and magazines have talked and written much about him, saying he is the greatest athlete of all time. They have said that his athletic leaping ability, shown in his back-to-back Slam Dunk Contest championships in 1987 and 1988, has influenced young players. Several NBA players have stated that they considered Jordan as their role model while they were growing up.
In August 2009, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts, opened a Michael Jordan exhibit that contained items from his college and NBA careers as well as from the 1992 "Dream Team." The exhibit also includes a batting baseball glove to represent Jordan's short career in Minor League Baseball.
In 2016, President Barack Obama honored Jordan with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In October 2021, Jordan was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team. In September 2022, Jordan's jersey in which he played the opening game of the 1998 NBA Finals was sold for $10.1 million, making it the most expensive game-worn sports memorabilia in history.
Post retirement
After his third retirement, Jordan assumed that he would be able to return to his front-office position as Director of Basketball Operations with the Wizards. However, On May 7, 2003, Wizards owner Abe Pollin fired Jordan.
Jordan kept busy over the next few years. He stayed in shape, played golf in celebrity charity tournaments, and spent time with his family in Chicago. He also promoted his clothing brand and rode motorcycles. Since 2004, Jordan has owned Michael Jordan Motorsports.
Charlotte Bobcats/Hornets
On June 15, 2006, Jordan bought a minority stake in the Charlotte Bobcats (known as the Hornets since 2013), becoming the team's second-largest shareholder behind majority owner Robert L. Johnson. On March 17, 2010, the NBA Board of Governors unanimously approved Jordan's purchase of the Bobcats from Johnson, making him the first former player to become the majority owner of an NBA team. It also made him the league's only African-American majority owner.
During the 2019 NBA offseason, Jordan sold a minority piece of the Hornets to Gabe Plotkin and Daniel Sundheim. He kept the majority of the team for himself, as well as the role of chairman.
23XI Racing
On September 21, 2020, Jordan and NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin announced they would be fielding a NASCAR team with Bubba Wallace driving, beginning competition in the 2021 season. On October 22, the team's name was confirmed to be 23XI Racing (pronounced twenty-three eleven) and the team's entry would bear No. 23. The team's first race was the Daytona 500 on February 14, 2021.
Personal life
Jordan is the fourth of five children. He has two older brothers, Larry Jordan and James R. Jordan Jr., one older sister, Deloris, and one younger sister, Roslyn.
Jordan married Juanita Vanoy on September 2, 1989, at A Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas, Nevada. They had two sons, Jeffrey and Marcus, and a daughter, Jasmine. After filing for divorce, getting back together, and filing for divorce again, the couple remained divorced as of December 29, 2006. Juanita received a $168 million settlement (equivalent to $244 million in 2025).
In 1991, Jordan purchased a lot in Highland Park, Illinois, where he planned to build a 56,000 square-foot (5,200 m2) mansion. It was completed in 1995. He listed the mansion for sale in 2012. He also owns homes in North Carolina and Jupiter Island, Florida.
Jordan proposed to his longtime girlfriend, Cuban-American model Yvette Prieto, on Christmas 2011, and they were married on April 27, 2013, at Bethesda-by-the-Sea Episcopal Church. It was announced on November 30, 2013, that the two were expecting their first child together. On February 11, 2014, Prieto gave birth to identical twin daughters named Victoria and Ysabel. In 2019, Jordan became a grandfather when his daughter Jasmine gave birth to a son, whose father is professional basketball player Rakeem Christmas.
Media figure and business interests
Endorsements
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Jordan is one of the most marketed sports figures in history. He has been a major spokesman for such brands as Nike (who created a signature shoe for Jordan called the Air Jordan), Coca-Cola, Chevrolet, Gatorade, McDonald's, Ball Park Franks, Rayovac, Wheaties, Hanes, MCI, and Gatorade.
Jordan also has been associated with the Looney Tunes cartoon characters. In a Nike commercial shown during 1992's Super Bowl XXVI, Jordan and Bugs Bunny played basketball. The Super Bowl commercial inspired the 1996 live action/animated film Space Jam. Jordan also made an appearance in the music video for Michael Jackson's "Jam" (1992).
Since 2008, Jordan's yearly income from the endorsements is estimated to be over $40 million.
Business ventures
As of 2025[update], his net worth is estimated at $3.5 billion by Forbes, making him one of the richest celebrities.
Jordan co-owns an automotive group which bears his name. The restaurant industry is another business interest of Jordan. He has owned several restaurants and is the majority investor in a Florida golf course, Grove XXIII, which opened in 2019. In September 2020, Jordan became an investor and advisor for DraftKings.
Philanthropy
- From 2001 to 2014, Jordan hosted an annual golf tournament, the Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitational, that raised money for various charities.
- In 2006, Jordan and his wife Juanita pledged $5 million to Chicago's Hales Franciscan High School. The Jordan Brand has made donations to Habitat for Humanity and a Louisiana branch of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
- In 2015, Jordan won a lawsuit against supermarkets that had used his name without permission. He donated the money he won to 23 different Chicago charities.
- In 2017, Jordan gave $7 million to open two Novant Health Michael Jordan Family Clinics in Charlotte, North Carolina.
- In 2018, after Hurricane Florence damaged parts of North Carolina, including his former hometown of Wilmington, Jordan donated $2 million to relief efforts. He gave $1 million to aid the Bahamas' recovery following Hurricane Dorian in 2019.
- As of 2019, he had raised more than $5 million for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
- On June 5, 2020, Jordan and his brand announced that they would be donating $100 million over the next 10 years to organizations dedicated to "ensuring racial equality, social justice, and greater access to education."
- In February 2021, Jordan gave $10 million to open two more Novant Health Michael Jordan Family Clinics.
Film and television
Jordan played himself in the 1996 comedy film Space Jam. He was the subject of two documentaries: Michael Jordan to the Max in 2000 and The Last Dance in 2020. He also appeared in the 2022 miniseries The Captain, which follows the life and career of Derek Jeter.
Books
Jordan has authored books focusing on his life, basketball career, and worldview.
- Rare Air: Michael on Michael, with Mark Vancil and Walter Iooss (Harper San Francisco, 1993)
- I Can't Accept Not Trying: Michael Jordan on the Pursuit of Excellence, with Mark Vancil and Sandro Miller (Harper San Francisco, 1994)
- For the Love of the Game: My Story, with Mark Vancil (Crown Publishers, 1998)
- Driven from Within, with Mark Vancil (Atria Books, 2005)
NBA career statistics
| Legend | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
Regular season
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984–85 | Chicago | 82* | 82* | 38.3 | .515 | .173 | .845 | 6.5 | 5.9 | 2.4 | .8 | 28.2 |
| 1985–86 | Chicago | 18 | 7 | 25.1 | .457 | .167 | .840 | 3.6 | 2.9 | 2.1 | 1.2 | 22.7 |
| 1986–87 | Chicago | 82* | 82* | 40.0 | .482 | .182 | .857 | 5.2 | 4.6 | 2.9 | 1.5 | 37.1* |
| 1987–88 | Chicago | 82 | 82* | 40.4* | .535 | .132 | .841 | 5.5 | 5.9 | 3.2* | 1.6 | 35.0* |
| 1988–89 | Chicago | 81 | 81 | 40.2* | .538 | .276 | .850 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 2.9 | .8 | 32.5* |
| 1989–90 | Chicago | 82* | 82* | 39.0 | .526 | .376 | .848 | 6.9 | 6.3 | 2.8* | .7 | 33.6* |
| 1990–91† | Chicago | 82* | 82* | 37.0 | .539 | .312 | .851 | 6.0 | 5.5 | 2.7 | 1.0 | 31.5* |
| 1991–92† | Chicago | 80 | 80 | 38.8 | .519 | .270 | .832 | 6.4 | 6.1 | 2.3 | .9 | 30.1* |
| 1992–93† | Chicago | 78 | 78 | 39.3 | .495 | .352 | .837 | 6.7 | 5.5 | 2.8* | .8 | 32.6* |
| 1994–95 | Chicago | 17 | 17 | 39.3 | .411 | .500 | .801 | 6.9 | 5.3 | 1.8 | .8 | 26.9 |
| 1995–96† | Chicago | 82 | 82* | 37.7 | .495 | .427 | .834 | 6.6 | 4.3 | 2.2 | .5 | 30.4* |
| 1996–97† | Chicago | 82 | 82* | 37.9 | .486 | .374 | .833 | 5.9 | 4.3 | 1.7 | .5 | 29.6* |
| 1997–98† | Chicago | 82* | 82* | 38.8 | .465 | .238 | .784 | 5.8 | 3.5 | 1.7 | .5 | 28.7* |
| 2001–02 | Washington | 60 | 53 | 34.9 | .416 | .189 | .790 | 5.7 | 5.2 | 1.4 | .4 | 22.9 |
| 2002–03 | Washington | 82 | 67 | 37.0 | .445 | .291 | .821 | 6.1 | 3.8 | 1.5 | .5 | 20.0 |
| Career | 1,072 | 1,039 | 38.3 | .497 | .327 | .835 | 6.2 | 5.3 | 2.3 | .8 | 30.1 |
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| All-Star | 13 | 13 | 29.4 | .472 | .273 | .750 | 4.7 | 4.2 | 2.8 | .5 | 20.2 | |
Playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Chicago | 4 | 4 | 42.8 | .436 | .125 | .828 | 5.8 | 8.5 | 2.8 | 1.0 | 29.3 |
| 1986 | Chicago | 3 | 3 | 45.0 | .505 | 1.000 | .872 | 6.3 | 5.7 | 2.3 | 1.3 | 43.7 |
| 1987 | Chicago | 3 | 3 | 42.7 | .417 | .400 | .897 | 7.0 | 6.0 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 35.7 |
| 1988 | Chicago | 10 | 10 | 42.7 | .531 | .333 | .869 | 7.1 | 4.7 | 2.4 | 1.1 | 36.3 |
| 1989 | Chicago | 17 | 17 | 42.2 | .510 | .286 | .799 | 7.0 | 7.6 | 2.5 | .8 | 34.8 |
| 1990 | Chicago | 16 | 16 | 42.1 | .514 | .320 | .836 | 7.2 | 6.8 | 2.8 | .9 | 36.7 |
| 1991† | Chicago | 17 | 17 | 40.5 | .524 | .385 | .845 | 6.4 | 8.4 | 2.4 | 1.4 | 31.1 |
| 1992† | Chicago | 22 | 22 | 41.8 | .499 | .386 | .857 | 6.2 | 5.8 | 2.0 | .7 | 34.5 |
| 1993† | Chicago | 19 | 19 | 41.2 | .475 | .389 | .805 | 6.7 | 6.0 | 2.1 | .9 | 35.1 |
| 1995 | Chicago | 10 | 10 | 42.0 | .484 | .367 | .810 | 6.5 | 4.5 | 2.3 | 1.4 | 31.5 |
| 1996† | Chicago | 18 | 18 | 40.7 | .459 | .403 | .818 | 4.9 | 4.1 | 1.8 | .3 | 30.7 |
| 1997† | Chicago | 19 | 19 | 42.3 | .456 | .194 | .831 | 7.9 | 4.8 | 1.6 | .9 | 31.1 |
| 1998† | Chicago | 21 | 21 | 41.5 | .462 | .302 | .812 | 5.1 | 3.5 | 1.5 | .6 | 32.4 |
| Career | 179 | 179 | 41.8 | .487 | .332 | .828 | 6.4 | 5.7 | 2.1 | .8 | 33.4 |
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Awards and honors
NBA
- Six-time NBA champion – 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998
- Six-time NBA Finals MVP – 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998
- Five-time NBA MVP – 1988, 1991, 1992, 1996, 1998
- NBA Defensive Player of the Year – 1987–88
- NBA Rookie of the Year – 1984–85
- 10-time NBA scoring leader – 1987–1993, 1996–1998
- Three-time NBA steals leader – 1988, 1990, 1993
- 14-time NBA All-Star – 1985–1993, 1996–1998, 2002, 2003
- Three-time NBA All-Star Game MVP – 1988, 1996, 1998
- 10-time All-NBA First Team – 1987–1993, 1996–1998
- One-time All-NBA Second Team – 1985
- Nine-time NBA All-Defensive First Team – 1988–1993, 1996–1998
- NBA All-Rookie First Team – 1985
- Two-time NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion – 1987, 1988
- Two-time IBM Award winner – 1985, 1989
- Named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996
- Selected on the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021
- No. 23 retired by the Chicago Bulls
- No. 23 retired by the Miami Heat
- Chicago Bulls Ring of Honor
- NBA MVP trophy renamed in Jordan's honor ("Michael Jordan Trophy") in 2022
USA Basketball
- Two-time Olympic gold medal winner – 1984, 1992
- Tournament of the Americas gold medal winner – 1992
- Pan American Games gold medal winner – 1983
- Two-time USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year – 1983, 1984
NCAA
- NCAA national championship – 1981–82
- ACC Rookie of the Year – 1981–82
- Two-time Consensus NCAA All-American First Team – 1982–83, 1983–84
- ACC Men's Basketball Player of the Year – 1983–84
- ACC Athlete of the Year – 1984
- USBWA College Player of the Year – 1983–84
- Naismith College Player of the Year – 1983–84
- Adolph Rupp Trophy – 1983–84
- John R. Wooden Award – 1983–84
- Two-time Sporting News National Player of the Year (1983, 1984)
- No. 23 retired by the North Carolina Tar Heels
High school
- McDonald's All-American – 1981
- Parade All-American First Team – 1981
Halls of Fame
- Two-time Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee:
- Class of 2009 – individual
- Class of 2010 – as a member of the "Dream Team"
- United States Olympic Hall of Fame – Class of 2009 (as a member of the "Dream Team")
- North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame – Class of 2010
- Two-time FIBA Hall of Fame inductee:
- Class of 2015 – individual
- Class of 2017 – as a member of the "Dream Team"
Media
- Three-time Associated Press Athlete of the Year – 1991, 1992, 1993
- Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year – 1991
- Ranked No. 1 by Slam magazine's "Top 50 Players of All-Time"
- Ranked No. 1 by ESPN SportsCentury's "Top North American Athletes of the 20th Century"
- 10-time ESPY Award winner (in various categories)
- 1997 Marca Leyenda winner
National
State/local
- Statue inside the United Center
- Section of Madison Street in Chicago renamed Michael Jordan Drive – 1994
Michael Jordan Quotes
- "The key to success is failure."
- "Failure makes me work even harder."
- "If you do the work, you get rewarded. There are no shortcuts in life."
- "Heart is what separates the good from the great."
- "If you quit once, it becomes a habit. Never quit!"
Interesting facts about Michael Jordan
- Because Jordan almost drowned at age 11, he has a fear of large bodies of water.
- His childhood idol was Magic Johnson.
- If Jordan did not play in the NBA, his backup plan was to use his degree in cultural geography to become a weatherman.
- He initially wanted to wear Adidas after entering the NBA. Nike offered him more money than other brands to endorse their brand.
- In 2020, it was revealed that Jordan had made more than $1 billion with Nike.
- In 1991, he declined President George H.W. Bush's invitation to the White House with the rest of the NBA champion Chicago Bulls so he could play golf.
- For every meal before a game, Michael Jordan held a ritual of eating the same thing four hours before the start of the match: a 23-ounce New York steak, a side of mashed potatoes, a salad, and ginger ale.
- He is the only professional basketball player over age 40 with a 20 PPG (points per game) average.
- ESPN ranked Michael Jordan as the 20th century’s greatest North American athlete.
- The highest bidding on a Jordan sneaker was priced at $71 thousand at an auction.
See also
In Spanish: Michael Jordan para niños
- Forbes' list of the world's highest-paid athletes
- List of athletes who came out of retirement
- List of NBA teams by single season win percentage
- Michael Jordan's Restaurant
- Michael Jordan: Chaos in the Windy City
- Michael Jordan in Flight
- NBA 2K11
- NBA 2K12
