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Jordan is most famous for donning No. Jordan did wear 45 upon his return to the NBA because 23 was the number his late father knew him by, and he wanted a new beginning. That lasted only a couple months before Jordan switched back to 23 during the playoffs. Jordan famously wore No. During the summer of , Jordan made his first appearance at the Olympic Games as a member of the U.
Olympic basketball team. The team of college amateurs won the gold at the games that year, which were held in Los Angeles. Jordan later helped the American team bring home the gold medal at the Olympic Games, held in Barcelona, Spain. The U. Jordan retired from the sport three times over the span of his year professional career.
He first stepped away on October 6, , at age 30 to pursue a career in baseball following the death of his father. In July of that year, James was murdered when two teenagers shot him in his car in an apparent robbery as he was driving from Charlotte to Wilmington, North Carolina. He was missing for 23 days until his body was found in a swamp in McColl, South Carolina.
The teens were later tried and convicted of the crime and received life sentences for first-degree murder. Jordan retired from the Bulls again on January 13, , at age 35 before eventually returning to the court with the Wizards. He finally hung up his jersey for good at age 40 on April 16, In a move that shocked many, after the end of the basketball season, Jordan announced his retirement from basketball to pursue baseball.
For one year in , Jordan played for the Birmingham Barons, a minor league affiliate of the Chicago White Sox, as an outfielder. He had last played baseball as a high school senior in During his short career in baseball, which many fans considered a whim, Jordan had a rather dismal. However, many of the people who worked with him at the time said he was an extremely dedicated player with potential.
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He was always so respectful of what we were doing and considerate of his teammates. I truly believe that he rediscovered himself, his joy for competition. We made him want to play basketball again. After hitting. Although it would be two more seasons before the Bulls would win the championship, the team had arrived.
Jordan was voted MVP of the finals all three times. Olympic basketball team. Stating that he had nothing left to accomplish, Jordan announced his retirement from the NBA in October of He left the sport as the all—time leading scorer in the history of the Chicago Bulls. The next year he moved onto a different playing field, joining the Chicago White Sox minor league baseball team.
He spent 17 months in the minors, with the media again scrutinizing his every move.
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All in all, his career as a baseball player was short—lived and unspectacular, but it did provide a much—needed respite from basketball as well as an opportunity for Jordan to regain his passion for the game. When Jordan first returned to the Bulls in the — season, both he and his team played inconsistently at first. The Bulls reached the playoffs and advanced to the conference semi—finals to face the new talk of the league, Shaquille O'Neal, star of the Orlando Magic.
Jordan prevented the Bulls from winning the first game by making two errors in the final 18 seconds. At this point the great Michael Jordan was viewed as only human. The Orlando Magic defeated the Bulls four games to two. Olympic Team to gold medal. The — season was built on the type of playing on which records are made: the Bulls finished the regular season 71—10, an NBA record, and Jordan earned an eighth scoring title.
The following season Jordan led the Bulls to another title, this time defeating the Utah Jazz. In the — season, it looked like the Bulls might not even make the finals, for Indiana pushed the Bulls to seven games in the Eastern Conference Finals. But Jordan and the Bulls endured and met the Jazz again, emerging as six—time league champions.
During a contentious lockout that blemished the ——the first—ever work stoppage in the 52—year history of the NBA—Jordan found himself increasingly at odds with Bulls management. In January of , he again announced his retirement from the game, this time assuring fans that he meant it. He left the league as one of its three all—time scorers, with 29, points to his name.
This is perfect time for me to walk away from the game. And I'm at peace with that. But he had not planned to leave it entirely: a year later, Jordan became part owner and president of operations for the Washington Wizards, one of the NBA's more underachieving franchises. Formerly known as the Washington Bullets, they were last in their division at the time of the announcement, with a record of 12—28, and had only one championship title dating back to to their name.
The move was immediately heralded as the best thing that could ever happen to such a team, and it was welcomed with tremendous fanfare in the city. Jordan declared his intention to practice with the team, which boasted some young players of great promise, and it was rumored that both this unusual plan as well as the mere presence of Jordan in the front offices might attract some stellar free agents to the Wizards' roster.
For the — season, Jordan was seen several times practicing hard with his team. By , rumors began to surface that he might again return to the court. In June , as president of the Wizards, Jordan made history by selecting the first ever high school player Kwame Brown with the top pick in the NBA draft. Within ninety days, it was official: Jordan was returning from his second retirement to play for the Wizards.
Much press coverage and speculation surrounded his return, but by December , he had led the team to a 10—12 season record. Considering that the ten—year cumulative record of the team was —, represented substantial progress. When Jordan was drafted by the Chicago Bulls, they were a lackluster team, seldom drawing more than 6, fans to a home game.
Jordan quickly turned that around. His style of play, incredible leaping ability, and his hang time thrilled fans in basketball arenas across the country. Both he and the hugely popular "Air Jordan" sneakers from Nike have ushered in a new era of popularity for the once—moribund pastime; even Hollywood began to see the potential in producing movies centered around the sport.
Michael Jordan's success initially meant more money for the Chicago Bulls, who began selling out their games at home and on the road. Yet during the first years of his career he was under a long—term contract that did not net him anywhere near as much income as other stars of the game. Though that figure may seem high, the Bulls' five and that year, six league championships forever banished the city's bruised civic pride at its poorly performing teams: Chicago's Bears football franchise last won a Superbowl in , Blackhawks hockey players hadn't skated to a Stanley Cup victory since , and the last time one of its two baseball teams had won a pennant race, America was fighting in World War I.
Jordan's success not only meant more money for the Bulls, it meant more money for the NBA, especially in marketing Jordan's jersey, with his old number 23 and the new number 45 after he returned from baseball. Jordan has been referred to as "Jesus in Nikes. At Chicago's United Center, home to the Bulls, visitors sometimes kneel at a statue of Jordan that graces the entrance.
He has been the subject of not only sports biographies, but of serious tomes that examine his impact on professional sports. Clarkston, Michael.
Short biography of michael jordan: Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, ), also known by his initials MJ, [9] is an American businessman and former professional basketball player. He played 15 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) between and , winning six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls.
Clines, Francis X. Greene, Bob. Rebound: The Odyssey of Michael Jordan. New York: Viking Penguin, LaFeber, Walter. Michael Jordan and the New Global Capitalism. New York: W. Norton, Rhoden, William C. Michael Jordan is one of the greatest basketball players of all time. He has won an NCAA basketball championship, two Olympic gold medals, six NBA National Basketball Association championship titles, and is certainly the most well-known athlete of the late s and s.
It has been claimed that he has single-handedly, fundamentally changed the sports business in the s. Growing up, he always excelled at sports. Jordan has many fond memories of youth baseball, especially when he hit the game-winning home run in a Babe Ruth tournament. In what has become a part of classic contemporary sports legends, it is common knowledge that in high school, the varsity basketball team cut Jordan during his sophomore year.
Not making the team tested Jordan's willingness to work for his goals. He played for three seasons at North Carolina and then made himself available for the NBA draft in He was chosen third by the Chicago Bulls. Jordan's family, particularly his father, always played an important part in his personal and professional life.
In July of his father was murdered in North Carolina. Some aspects of Jordan's private life were initially kept from the public, though they later became common knowledge. Jordan also became known as a heavy gambler. And for years Jordan was criticized for his involvement with Nike because of allegations of its mistreatment of employees, especially women and children, in its Asian plants.
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Nevertheless Jordan is an idolized figure and a role model for a generation. Although he had three outstanding college seasons, the success Jordan was to have in the NBA was not entirely apparent, for he was only the third player chosen in the draft— Hakeem Olajuwon and Sam Bowie were chosen before him. He returned in time for the playoffs, and set an NBA playoff scoring record with 63 points in his second playoff game.
Jordan's run was only interrupted by his retirement. During that year the player who was originally only viewed as an offensive weapon was named Defensive Player of the Year as well as the MVP of the league.
Pimm fox biography of michael jordan
In Jordan led the Bulls to the Conference Finals. Michael Jordan was grief stricken. This tragedy, combined with increasing media scrutiny over his gambling, left him feeling depleted and disenchanted with his life as a basketball superstar. Stating that he had nothing left to accomplish, he announced his retirement from the NBA in October of Jordan retired as the all-time leading scorer in the history of the Chicago Bulls.
The next year he changed sports, joining the Chicago White Sox minor league baseball team. He spent 17 months in the minors and followed and scrutinized his every move. All in all, his career as a baseball player was short-lived and unspectacular. His 17 months in the minors did provide a much-needed break from basketball and gave Jordan an opportunity to regain his passion for the game.
When Jordan first returned to the Bulls in the season, both he and his team played inconsistently at first. The Bulls reached the playoffs and advanced to the conference semi-finals to face the new talk of the league, Shaquille O'Neal, star of the Orlando Magic. The season was built on the type of playing on which records are made—the Bulls finished the regular season , an NBA record, and Jordan earned an eighth scoring title.
In the season, it looked like the Bulls might not even make the finals, for Indiana pushed the Bulls to seven games in the Eastern Conference Finals. But Jordan and the Bulls endured and met the Jazz again, emerging as champions. Hard core and casual fans were interested in an opportunity to marvel at history in the making.
Early on, Jordan was signed to a long-term contract, though while still under contract, new, unproven players were making millions more. A popular catch phrase that began in the mids was "I wanna be like Mike. In addition to his endorsements, Jordan has opened three restaurants named after himself; the huge basketball on the roof clearly identifies the place.
In Michael Jordan, in conjunction with Nike, introduced his own brand of athletic shoes and apparel. The Air Jordan series had been Nike's most profitable shoes since they were introduced in the mids. Jordan told Newsweek that this new business would "keep me in touch with the game" after he retires. Reportedly Jordan has repeatedly stated that he is not interested in either coaching, managing, or owning his own NBA team.
He has not expressed interest in broadcasting either. Byers, Paula K. Bourgoin, eds. Encyclopedia of World Biographies. Detroit: Gale Research, New York : Viking Penguin, Holstein, William. Jordan, Michael. Rare Air: Michael on Michael. San Francisco : Collins Publishers, Kornbluth, Jesse. Smith, Sam. New York: HarperCollins, Basketball superstar Michael Jordan is one of the most successful, popular, and wealthy athletes in college, Olympic, and professional sports history.
The family moved to Wilmington, North Carolina , when Michael was very young. His father worked as a General Electric plant supervisor, and his mother worked at a bank. His father taught him to work hard and not to be tempted by street life. His mother taught him to sew, clean, and do laundry. Jordan loved sports but failed to make his high school basketball team as a sophomore.
He continued to practice and made the team the next year. After high school he accepted a basketball scholarship to the University of North Carolina , where he played under head coach Dean Smith. Jordan led the ACC in scoring as a sophomore and as a junior. The Sporting News named him college player of the year for both years.
When Jordan was drafted by the Chicago Bulls they were a losing team, drawing only around six thousand fans to home games. His style of play and fierce spirit of competition reminded sportswriters and fans of Julius Erving — , who had been a superstar player during the s. Jordan's incredible leaping ability and hang time thrilled fans in arenas around the league.
In his first season he was named to the All-Star team and was later honored as the league's Rookie of the Year. A broken foot sidelined Jordan for 64 games during the — 86 season, but he returned to score 49 points against the Boston Celtics in the first game of the playoffs and 63 in the second game — an NBA playoff record.
The — 87 season was again one of individual successes, and Jordan started in the All-Star game after receiving a record 1. He became the first player since Wilt Chamberlain — to score 3, points in a single season. Jordan enjoyed personal success, but Chicago did not advance beyond the first round of the playoffs until Jordan concentrated on improving his other basketball skills, and in he was named Defensive Player of the Year.
He was also named the league's Most Valuable Player MVP and became the first player to lead the league in both scoring and steals. The Olympic Committee had voted to lift the ban on professional athletes participating in the games. The team easily won the gold medal, winning their eight games by an average margin of That summer Jordan's father, James, was murdered by two men during a robbery attempt.
Jordan was grief stricken, and his father's death, combined with media reports about his gambling, led him to announce his retirement from professional basketball in October. Jordan had won three straight NBA titles, three regular season MVP awards, three playoff MVP titles, seven consecutive scoring titles, and he was a member of the All-Star team every year that he was in the league.
In just nine seasons he had become the Bulls all-time leading scorer. Although the seventeen-month experiment showed that he was not a major league baseball player, the experience and time away from basketball provided a much-needed rest and opportunity to regain his love of basketball. When Jordan returned to the Chicago Bulls during the — 95 regular season, people wondered, "Could he do it again?
The Bulls were defeated in the playoffs by the Orlando Magic. After a summer of playing basketball during breaks from filming the live-action cartoon movie Space Jam, Jordan returned with a fierce determination to prove that he had the ability to get back on top. The — 96 Bulls finished the regular season 72 — 10, an NBA record for most wins in a season, and Jordan, with his shooting rhythm back, earned his eighth scoring title.
He also became the tenth NBA player to score 25, career points and second fastest after Chamberlain to reach that mark. Few who watched will ever forget how Jordan sank to his knees, head bent over the winning ball, in a moment of bittersweet victory and deep sadness. The game had been played on Father's Day, three years after his father's murder.
The defending champions had a tougher time during the — 97 season but entered the playoffs as expected. Sheer determination took the Bulls to their fifth NBA championship. Illness, injury, and at times a lack of concentration hurt the team. In the fifth game of the finals Jordan carried the team to victory despite suffering from a stomach virus.
In the — 98 season the Bulls were again in the playoffs, and again they faced tough competition. Jordan's other professional life as a businessman was never off track. Profitable endorsements ads in which he voiced his support for certain products for companies such as Nike and Wheaties, as well as his own golf company and products such as Michael Jordan cologne which reportedly sold 1.
Jordan retired for a second time in , ending his career on a high note just after the official end of a labor dispute between NBA players and team owners. Many people saw him as the greatest basketball player ever, and his retirement was called the end of an era. In Jordan became part-owner and president of basketball operations of the Washington Wizards.
He also gained an ownership stake in the Washington Capitals hockey team. In September , after months of rumors, Jordan announced that he was ending his three-year retirement to play for the Wizards at age thirty-eight. At a news conference to discuss his comeback, he said, "Physically, I know I'm not twenty-five years old, but I feel I can play the game of basketball on the highest level.
After being voted to play in his thirteenth All-Star game during which he missed a slam dunk , Jordan had the Wizards in the race for the playoffs until suffering a knee injury and missing the last part of the season. He was also distracted in January when his wife Juanita, whom he married in , filed for divorce. They have three children.
The next month the divorce was called off. Jordan said he planned to play one more season for the Wizards. Halberstam, David. Michael Jeffrey Jordan is a former professional basketball player, entrepreneur, owner, and chairman of the Charlotte Hornets. He is considered one of the most famous and popular athletes of his era, playing a key role in popularizing the NBA worldwide.
While in school, Jordan actively played baseball, football, and basketball. Despite his height being considered too short for professional sports, Jordan was determined to prove himself as a basketball player. After a summer of intense training, Jordan managed to grow 10 centimeters and earned a spot on his school's basketball team. It quickly became clear that Jordan was a promising basketball player, and he became the star of the team.
College recruiters from major universities took notice, and Jordan ultimately chose the University of North Carolina.
After three seasons with the university's basketball team, Jordan entered the NBA draft and was selected third overall by the Chicago Bulls. After a day of practice, he told fellow assistant Eddie Fogler, "I think I've just seen the best 6'4" high school player I've ever seen. Williams then made the rookie mistake of arranging for Jordan to attend the Five-Star Camp outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Although this one featured blue-chip basketball prospects from around the country, as opposed to the smaller pool in North Carolina, the year-old Jordan again treated the competition like a punching bag, transforming him into a must-have college recruit. After a senior season in which Laney narrowly missed out on a division title and its best player averaged a triple-double, Jordan continued to soar with a record 30 points in the McDonald's All-American Game.
However, he soon experienced a welcome return to earth with his immersion in Dean Smith's program at UNC. The even-keeled Smith forged team unity by treating his stars and benchwarmers equally, and Jordan was happy to let his effort do the talking in the highly regimented practices. And with that first major, televised triumph, Jordan was officially on the map as a young American sports star, ready for the next steps in a career that would carry him to unprecedented heights of success and fame.
LeBron James. Jason Collins. Brittney Griner Advocates for Other Detainees.