Michael
Jordan Biography (full)
Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17,
1963) is a retired American professional basketball player and active
businessman. His biography on the National Basketball Association (NBA)
website states, "By acclamation, Michael Jordan is the greatest
basketball player of all time."[1] Jordan was one of the most
effectively marketed athletes of his generation and was instrumental in
popularizing the NBA around the world in the 1980s and 1990s.
After a stand-out career at the University
of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 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 free throw 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.[2] In 1991, he won his first NBA championship with the
Bulls, and followed that achievement with titles in 1992 and 1993,
securing a "three-peat." Though Jordan abruptly retired from basketball
at the beginning of the 1993-94 NBA season to pursue a career in
baseball, he rejoined the Bulls in 1995 and led them to three additional
championships (1996, 1997, and 1998) as well as an NBA-record 72
regular-season wins in the 1995–96 season. Jordan retired for a second
time in 1999, but he returned for two more NBA seasons in 2001 as a
member of the Washington Wizards.
Jordan's individual accolades and
accomplishments include five MVP awards, ten All-NBA First Team
designations, nine All-Defensive First Team honors, fourteen NBA
All-Star Game appearances and three All-Star MVP, ten scoring titles,
three steals titles, six NBA Finals MVP awards, and the 1988 NBA
Defensive Player of the Year Award. He holds the NBA record for highest
career regular season scoring average with 30.12 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. He will be eligible for induction into
the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009.
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.[3] 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 in
North Carolina.
****
Position(s):
Shooting Guard Jersey #(s):
23, 45, 12, 9, 5
Height:
6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) Weight:
215 lb (98 kg)
Born: February 17, 1963 (1963-02-17) (age
45)
Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Career information
Year(s): 1984–2003
NBA Draft: 1984 / Round: 1 / Pick: 3
College: University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill
Professional team(s)
Chicago Bulls (1984-1993, 1995-1998)
Washington Wizards (2001-2003)
Career stats
Points 32,292
Rebound 6,672
Assists 5,633
Stats @ Basketball-Reference.com
Career highlights and awards
6x NBA Champion (1991, 1992, 1993, 1996,
1997, 1998)
5x NBA MVP (1988, 1991, 1992, 1996, 1998)
14x NBA All-Star (1985-1993, 1996-1998,
2002-2003)
6x NBA Finals MVP (1991-1993, 1996-1998)
1x NBA Defensive Player of the Year (1988)
10x All-NBA First Team Selection
(1987-1993, 1996-1998)
1x All-NBA Second Team Selection (1985)
9x NBA All-Defensive First Team Selection
(1988-1993, 1996-1998)
1985 NBA Rookie of the Year
1985 NBA All-Rookie Team
3x NBA All-Star Game MVP (1988, 1996, 1998)
2x NBA Slam Dunk Contest winner (1987,
1988)
NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team
1x NCAA Men's Basketball Champion (1982)
1982 ACC Freshman of the Year
1x ACC Men's Basketball Player of the Year
(1984)
1x USBWA College Player of the Year (1984)
1x Naismith College Player of the Year
(1984)
1x John R. Wooden Award (1984)
1x Adolph Rupp Trophy (1984)
1991 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the
Year
2000 ESPY Athlete of the Century
1990s ESPY Male Athlete Decade Award
1990s ESPY Pro Basketballer Decade Award
****
Early years
Jordan was born in Brooklyn, New York, the
son of Deloris (née Peoples), who worked in banking, James R. Jordan,
Sr., an equipment supervisor.[4] His family moved to Wilmington, North
Carolina, when he was a toddler.[5][6] 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 5'11" (1.80 m), he was
deemed too short to play at that level and was cut from the team. The
following summer, however, he grew four inches (10 cm)[1] and trained
rigorously. Upon earning a spot on the varsity roster, Jordan averaged
about 20 points per game over his final two seasons of high school
play.[7][8] As a senior, he was selected to the McDonald's All-American
Team[9] after averaging a triple-double: 29.2 points, 11.6 rebounds, and
10.1 assists.[10][11]
In 1981, Jordan earned a basketball
scholarship to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 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 after he
averaged 13.4 points per game (ppg) on 53.4% shooting (field goal
percentage).[12] He made the game-winning jump shot in the 1982 NCAA
Championship game against Georgetown, which was led by future NBA rival
Patrick Ewing.[1] Jordan later described this shot as the major turning
point in his basketball career.[13] During his three seasons at North
Carolina, he averaged 17.7 ppg on 54.0% shooting, and added 5.0 rebounds
per game (rpg).[7] After winning the Naismith and the Wooden College
Player of the Year awards in 1984, Jordan left North Carolina one year
before his 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.[14]
Professional sports career
Early career
During his first season in the NBA, Jordan
averaged 28.2 ppg on 51.5% shooting.[12] He quickly became a fan
favorite even in opposing arenas,[15][16][17] and appeared on the cover
of Sports Illustrated with the heading "A Star is Born" just over a
month into his professional career.[18][19] Jordan was also voted in as
an All-Star starter by the fans in his rookie season.[1] 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.[1] This led to a so called "freeze-out" on Jordan,
where players refused to pass him the ball throughout the game.[1] 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.[20] The Bulls finished the season 38–44,[21] and lost in the first
round of the playoffs in four games to the Milwaukee Bucks.[20]
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,[21] 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,[22] Jordan set the still-unbroken record
for points in a playoff game with 63 in Game 2.[23] The Celtics,
however, managed to sweep the series.[20]
Jordan had 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.[12] In addition, Jordan demonstrated his defensive prowess, as
he became the first player in NBA history to record 200 steals and 100
blocks in a season. Despite Jordan's success, Magic Johnson won the
league's Most Valuable Player Award. The Bulls reached 40 wins,[21] and
advanced to the playoffs for the third consecutive year. However, they
were again swept by the Celtics.[20]
Mid-career: Pistons roadblock
Jordan led the league in scoring again in
the 1987–88 season, averaging 35.0 ppg on 53.5% shooting[12] and won his
first league MVP award. He was also named the Defensive Player of the
Year—a rarity for a guard—as he had averaged 1.6 blocks and a league
high 3.16 steals per game.[24] The Bulls finished 50–32,[21] 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.[25]
However, the Bulls then lost in five games to the more experienced
Detroit Pistons,[20] who were led by Isiah Thomas and a group of
physical players known as the "Bad Boys".
In the 1988–89 season, Jordan again led the
league in scoring, averaging 32.5 ppg on 53.8% shooting from the field,
along with 8 rpg and 8 assists per game (apg).[12] The Bulls finished
with a 47–35 record,[21] and advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals,
defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks along the way. The
Cavaliers series included a career highlight for Jordan when he hit a
series winning shot over Craig Ehlo in the closing moments of the
deciding fifth game of the series. However, the Pistons again defeated
the Bulls, this time in six games,[20] by utilizing their "Jordan Rules"
method of guarding Jordan, which consisted of double and triple teaming
him every time he touched the ball.[1]
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, they were becoming a more
cohesive team under the guidance of new coach Phil Jackson[citation
needed]. Jordan averaged a league leading 33.6 ppg on 52.6% shooting, to
go with 6.9 rpg and 6.3 apg[12] in leading the Bulls to a 55–27
record.[21] They again advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals beating
the Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers en route. However, despite pushing the
series to seven games, the Bulls lost to the Pistons for the third
consecutive season.[20]
First three-peat
In the 1990–91 season, Jordan won his
second MVP award after averaging 31.5 ppg on 53.9% shooting, 6.0 rpg,
and 5.5 apg for the regular season.[12] The Bulls finished in first
place in their division for the first time in 16 years and set a
franchise record with 61 wins in the regular season.[21] With Scottie
Pippen developing into an All-Star, the Bulls elevated their play. The
Bulls defeated the New York Knicks and the Philadelphia 76ers in the
opening two rounds of the playoffs. They advanced to the Eastern
Conference Finals where their rival, the Detroit Pistons, awaited them.
However, this time when the Pistons employed their "Jordan Rules"
defense of doubling and triple teaming Jordan, he picked them apart with
passing. Finally, the Bulls beat the Detroit Pistons in a surprising
sweep.[26][27] In an unusual ending to the fourth and final game, Isiah
Thomas led his team off the court before the final minute had concluded.
Most of the Pistons went directly to their locker room instead of
shaking hands with the Bulls.[28]
The Bulls compiled an outstanding 15-2
record during the playoffs[26], and advanced to the NBA Finals for the
first time in franchise history, where they beat the Los Angeles Lakers
four games to one. Perhaps the best known moment of the series came in
Game 2 when, attempting a dunk, Jordan avoided a potential Sam Perkins
block by switching the ball from his right hand to his left in mid-air
to lay the shot in.[29] The play was the last in a sequence of 13
consecutive field goals made by Jordan. In his first Finals appearance,
Jordan posted per game averages of 31.2 points on 56% shooting from the
field, 11.4 assists, 6.6 rebounds, 2.8 steals and 1.4 blocks.[30] Jordan
won his first NBA Finals MVP award by a unanimous decision,[31] and he
cried while holding the NBA Finals trophy.[32]
Jordan and the Bulls continued their
dominance in the 1991–92 season, establishing a 67–15 record, topping
their franchise record from 1990–91.[21] Jordan won his second
consecutive MVP award with a 30.1/6.4/6.1 season on 52% shooting.[24]
After winning a physical 7-game series over the burgeoning New York
Knicks in the second round of the playoffs and finishing off the
Cleveland Cavaliers in the Conference Finals in 6 games, the Bulls met
Clyde Drexler and the Portland Trail Blazers in the Finals. The media,
hoping to recreate a Magic-Bird rivalry, highlighted the similarities
between "Air" Jordan and Clyde "The Glide" during the pre-Finals
hype[citation needed]. In the first game, Jordan scored a Finals-record
35 points in the first half, including a record-setting six three-point
field goals.[33] After the sixth three-pointer, he jogged down the court
shrugging as he looked courtside. Marv Albert, who broadcast the game,
later stated that it was as if Jordan was saying, "I can't believe I'm
doing this."[34] The Bulls went on to win Game 1, and defeat the Blazers
in six games. Jordan was named Finals MVP for the second year in a
row[31] and finished the series averaging 35.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg, and 6.5
apg, while shooting 53% from the floor.[31]
In 1992–93, despite a 32.6/6.7/5.5
campaign,[24] Jordan's streak of consecutive MVP seasons ended as he
lost the award to his friend Charles Barkley. Fittingly, Jordan and the
Bulls met Barkley and his Phoenix Suns in the 1993 NBA Finals. The Bulls
captured their third consecutive NBA championship on a game-winning shot
by John Paxson and a last-second block by Horace Grant, but Jordan was
once again Chicago's catalyst. He averaged a Finals-record 41.0 ppg
during the six-game series,[35] and became the first player in NBA
history to win three straight Finals MVP awards.[31] He scored more than
30 points in every game of the series, including 40 or more points in 4
consecutive games, a record which has never been threatened[citation
needed]. With his third Finals triumph, Jordan capped off a seven-year
run where he attained seven scoring titles and three championships, but
there were signs that Jordan was tiring of his massive celebrity and all
of the non-basketball hassles in his life[citation needed].
Gambling controversy
During the Bulls' playoff run in 1993,
controversy arose when Jordan was seen gambling in Atlantic City the
night before a game against the New York Knicks.[36] In that same year,
he admitted to having to cover $57,000 in gambling losses,[37] and
author Richard Esquinas wrote a book claiming he had won $1.25 million
from Jordan on the golf course.[37] In 2005, Jordan talked to Ed Bradley
of the CBS evening show 60 Minutes about his gambling and admitted that
he made some reckless decisions. Jordan stated, "Yeah, I’ve gotten
myself into situations where I would not walk away and I’ve pushed the
envelope. Is that compulsive? Yeah, it depends on how you look at it. If
you’re willing to jeopardize your livelihood and your family, then
yeah."[38] When Bradley asked him if his gambling ever got to the level
where it jeopardized his livelihood or family, Jordan replied, "No."[38]
First retirement
On October 6, 1993, Jordan announced his
retirement, citing a loss of desire to play the game. Jordan later
stated that the murder of his father earlier in the year shaped his
decision.[39] James R. Jordan, Sr. was murdered on July 23, 1993, at a
highway rest area in Lumberton, North Carolina, by two teenagers, Daniel
Green and Larry Martin Demery. The assailants were traced from calls
they made on James Jordan's cellular phone,[40] caught, convicted, and
sentenced to life in prison. Jordan was close to his father; as a child
he had imitated his father's proclivity to stick out his tongue while
absorbed in work. He later adopted it as his own signature, displaying
it each time he drove to the basket.[1] In 1996 he founded a Chicago
area Boys & Girls Club and dedicated it to his father.[41][42]
Those close to Jordan claimed that he had
been considering retirement as early as the summer of 1992[citation
needed], and that the added exhaustion due to the Dream Team run in the
1992 Olympics solidified Jordan's feelings about the game and his
ever-growing celebrity status. Jordan's announcement sent shock waves
throughout the NBA and appeared on the front pages of newspapers around
the world.[43]
Jordan then further surprised the sports
world by signing a minor league baseball contract with the Chicago White
Sox. He reported to spring training and was assigned to the team's minor
league system on March 31, 1994.[44] Jordan has stated this decision was
made to pursue the dream of his late father, who had always envisioned
his son as a major league baseball player.[45] The White Sox were
another team owned by Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf, who continued to
honor Jordan's basketball contract during the years he played
baseball.[46] He had a brief professional baseball career for the
Birmingham Barons, a Chicago White Sox farm team, batting .202 with 3
HR, 51 RBI, 30 SB, and 11 errors.[8] He also appeared for the Scottsdale
Scorpions in the 1994 Arizona Fall League.
"I'm back": return to the NBA
In the 1993–94 season, the Jordan-less
Bulls notched a 55–27 record,[21] and lost to the New York Knicks in the
second round of the playoffs. But the 1994–95 version of the Bulls was a
shell of the championship squad of just two years earlier. Struggling at
mid-season to ensure a spot in the playoffs, Chicago needed a
lift[citation needed]. The lift came in early 1995, when Jordan decided
to return to the NBA for the Bulls.
On March 18, 1995, Jordan announced his
return to the NBA through a two-word press release: "I'm back."[1] The
next day, Jordan donned jersey number 45 (his number with the Barons),
as his familiar 23 had been retired in his honor following his first
retirement. He took to the court with the Bulls to face the Indiana
Pacers in Indianapolis, scoring 19 points.[47] The game had the highest
Nielsen rating of a regular season NBA game since 1975.[48]
Although he had not played in an NBA game
in a year and a half, Jordan played well upon his return, making a
game-winning jump shot against Atlanta in his fourth game back and
scoring 55 points in a game against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden
on March 28, 1995.[20] This was the highest point total by a visiting
player at MSG until Kobe Bryant scored 61 on February 2, 2009.[49]
Boosted by Jordan's comeback, the Bulls made the playoffs and advanced
to the Eastern Conference Semi-finals against the Orlando Magic. At the
end of the first game of the series, though, Orlando's Nick Anderson
would strip Jordan from behind, leading to the game-winning basket for
the Magic; he would later comment that Jordan "didn't look like the old
Michael Jordan",[50] after which Jordan returned to wearing his old
number (23). Jordan averaged 31 points per game in that series, but
Orlando prevailed in six games.[7]
Second three-peat
Freshly motivated by the playoff defeat,
Jordan trained aggressively for the 1995–96 season.[51] Strengthened by
the addition of rebound specialist Dennis Rodman, the Bulls dominated
the league, starting the season 41–3,[52] and eventually finishing with
the best regular season record in NBA history: 72–10.[22] Jordan led the
league in scoring with 30.4 ppg,[53] and won the league's regular season
and All-Star Game MVP awards.[1] In the playoffs, the Bulls lost only
three games in four series, defeating the Seattle SuperSonics in the NBA
Finals to win the championship. Jordan was named Finals MVP for a record
fourth time,[31] surpassing Magic Johnson's three Finals MVP awards. He
also achieved only the second sweep of the MVP Awards in the All-Star
Game, regular season and NBA Finals, duplicating Willis Reed's feat
during the 1969-70 NBA season.[20] Because this was Jordan's first
championship since his father's death, and it was won on Father's Day,
Jordan reacted very emotionally upon winning the title, including a
memorable scene of him sobbing on the locker room floor with the game
ball.[1][32]
In the 1996–97 season the Bulls started out
69–11, but narrowly missed out on a second consecutive 70-win season by
losing their final two games to finish 69–13.[54] However, this year
Jordan was beaten for the NBA MVP Award by Karl Malone. The team again
advanced to the Finals, where they faced Malone and the Utah Jazz team.
The series against the Jazz featured two of the more memorable clutch
moments of Jordan's career. He won Game 1 for the Bulls with a
buzzer-beating jump shot. In Game 5, with the series tied 2–2, Jordan
played despite being feverish and dehydrated from a stomach virus. In
what is known as the "flu game", Jordan scored 38 points including the
game-deciding three-pointer with less than a minute remaining.[55] The
Bulls won 90-88 and went on to win the series in six games.[54] For the
fifth time in as many Finals appearances, Jordan received the Finals MVP
award.[31] During the 1997 NBA All-Star Game, Jordan posted the only
triple double in All-Star Game history in a victorious effort, however
he did not receive the MVP award.
Jordan and the Bulls compiled a 62–20
record in the 1997–98 season.[21] Jordan led the league with 28.7 points
per game,[24] securing his fifth regular-season MVP award, plus honors
for All-NBA First Team, First Defensive Team and the All-Star Game
MVP.[1] The Bulls captured the Eastern Conference Championship for a
third straight season, including surviving a grueling seven-game series
with Reggie Miller's Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals; it
was the first time Jordan had played in a Game 7 since the 1992 series
with the Knicks. After prevailing, they moved on for a rematch with the
Jazz in the Finals.
The Bulls returned to Utah for Game 6 on
June 14, 1998 leading the series 3–2. Jordan executed a series of plays,
considered to be one of the greatest clutch performances in NBA Finals
history.[56] With the Bulls trailing 86–83 with 40 seconds remaining,
coach Jackson called a timeout. When play resumed, Jordan received the
inbound pass, drove to the basket, and hit a layup over several Jazz
defenders.[56] The Jazz brought the ball upcourt and passed the ball to
forward Karl Malone, who was set up in the low post and was being
guarded by Rodman. Malone jostled with Rodman and caught the pass, but
Jordan cut behind him and swatted the ball out of his hands for a
steal.[56] Jordan then slowly dribbled upcourt and paused at the top of
the key, eyeing his defender, Jazz guard Bryon Russell. With fewer than
10 seconds remaining, Jordan started to dribble right, then crossed over
to his left, possibly pushing off Russell,[57][58][59] although the
officials did not call a foul. Jordan then released a shot that would be
rebroadcast innumerable times in years to come. As the shot found the
net, announcer Bob Costas shouted "Chicago with the lead!"[60] After a
desperation three-point shot by John Stockton missed, Jordan and the
Bulls claimed their sixth NBA championship, and secured a second
three-peat. Once again, Jordan was voted the Finals MVP,[31] having led
all scorers by averaging 33.5 points per game, including 45 in the
deciding Game 6.[61] Jordan's six Finals MVPs is a record; Shaquille
O'Neal, Magic Johnson, and Tim Duncan are tied for second place with
three apiece.[31] The 1998 Finals holds the highest television rating of
any Finals series in history, and Game 6 holds the highest television
rating of any game in NBA history.[62][63]
Second retirement
With Phil Jackson's contract expiring, the
pending departures of Scottie Pippen (who stated his desire to be traded
during the season) and Dennis Rodman (who would sign with the Los
Angeles Lakers as a free agent) looming, and being in the latter stages
of an owner-induced lockout of NBA players, Jordan retired for the
second time on January 13, 1999.
On January 19, 2000, Jordan returned to the
NBA not as a player, but as part owner and President of Basketball
Operations for the Washington Wizards.[64] His responsibilities with the
club were to be comprehensive, as he was in charge of all aspects of the
team, including personnel decisions. Opinions of Jordan as a basketball
executive were mixed.[65][66] He managed to purge the team of several
highly paid, unpopular players (such as forward Juwan Howard and point
guard Rod Strickland),[67][68] but used the first pick in the 2001 NBA
Draft to select high schooler Kwame Brown, who did not live up to
expectations and was traded away after four seasons.[65][69]
Despite his January 1999 claim that he was
"99.9% certain" that he would never play another NBA game,[32] in the
summer of 2001 Jordan expressed interest in making another
comeback[70][71], this time with his new team. Inspired by the NHL
comeback of his friend Mario Lemieux the previous winter,[72] Jordan
spent much of the spring and summer of 2001 in training, holding several
invitation-only camps for NBA players in Chicago[73]. In addition,
Jordan hired his old Chicago Bulls head coach, Doug Collins, as
Washington's coach for the upcoming season, a decision that many saw as
foreshadowing another Jordan return.[70][71]
Washington Wizards comeback
On September 25, 2001 Jordan announced his
return to professional play with the Wizards, indicating his intention
to donate his salary as a player to a relief effort for the victims of
the September 11, 2001 attacks.[74][75] In an injury-plagued 2001–02
season, he led the team in scoring (22.90 ppg), assists (5.2 apg), and
steals (1.42 spg).[1] However, torn cartilage in his right knee ended
Jordan's season after only 60 games, the fewest he had played in a
regular season since a broken foot cut short his season in 1985–86.[12]
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. That year, Jordan was the only
Washington player to play in all 82 games, starting in 67 of them. He
averaged 20.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.5 steals per
game.[1] He also shot 45% from the field, and 82% from the free throw
line.[1] Even though he turned 40 during the season, he scored 20 or
more points 42 times, 30 or more points nine times, and 40 or more
points three times.[20] On February 21, 2003, Jordan became the first
40-year-old to tally 43 points in an NBA game.[76] During his stint with
the Wizards, all of Jordan's home games at the MCI Center were sold out,
and the Wizards were the second most-watched team in the NBA, averaging
20,172 fans a game at home and 19,311 on the road.[77] However, neither
of Jordan's final two seasons resulted in a playoff appearance for the
Wizards, and Jordan was often unsatisfied with the play of those around
him.[78][79] At several points he openly criticized his teammates to the
media, citing their lack of focus and intensity, notably that of number
one draft pick Kwame Brown.[78][79]
With the recognition that 2002–03 would be
Jordan's final season, tributes were paid to him throughout the NBA. In
his final game at his old home court, the United Center in Chicago,
Jordan received a four-minute standing ovation.[80] The Miami Heat
retired the number 23 jersey on April 11, 2003, even though Jordan had
never played for the team.[81] At the 2003 All-Star Game, Jordan was
offered a starting spot from Tracy McGrady and Allen Iverson,[82] but
refused both; in the end, however, he accepted the spot of Vince Carter,
who decided to give it up under a great public pressure.[83]
Jordan's final NBA game was on April 16,
2003 in Philadelphia. After scoring only 13 points in the game, Jordan
went to the bench with 4 minutes and 13 seconds remaining in the third
quarter and with his team trailing the Philadelphia 76ers, 75-56. Just
after the start of the fourth quarter, the First Union Center crowd
began chanting "We want Mike!". After much encouragement from coach Doug
Collins, Jordan finally rose from the bench and re-entered the game for
Larry Hughes with 2:35 remaining. At 1:45, Jordan was intentionally
fouled by the 76ers' Eric Snow, and stepped to the line to make both
free throws. After the second foul shot, the 76ers in-bounded the ball
to rookie John Salmons, who in turn was intentionally fouled by Bobby
Simmons one second later, stopping time so that Jordan could return to
the bench. Jordan received a three-minute standing ovation from his
teammates, his opponents, and a crowd of 21,257 fans.[84]
Olympic career
Jordan played on two Olympic gold
medal-winning American basketball teams. As a college player he
participated, and won the gold, in the 1984 Summer Olympics. Jordan led
the team in scoring averaging 17.1 ppg for the tournament.[85] In the
1992 Summer Olympics he was a member of the star-studded squad that
included Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and David Robinson and was dubbed
the "Dream Team". Playing limited minutes due to the frequent blowouts,
Jordan averaged 12.7 ppg, finishing fourth on the team in scoring.[86]
The team cruised to the gold medal, restoring the United States to the
top of the basketball world. Jordan, Patrick Ewing, and fellow Dream
Team member Chris Mullin are the only American men's basketball players
to win Olympic gold as amateurs (all in 1984) and professionals[citation
needed].
After retiring as a player
After his third retirement, Jordan assumed
that he would be able to return to his front office position of Director
of Basketball Operations with the Wizards.[87] However, his previous
tenure in the Wizards' front office had produced the aforementioned
mixed results and may have also influenced the trade of Richard "Rip"
Hamilton for Jerry Stackhouse (although Jordan was not technically
Director of Basketball Operations in 2002).[65] On May 7, 2003, Wizards
owner Abe Pollin fired Jordan as Washington's President of Basketball
Operations.[65] Jordan later stated that he felt betrayed, and that if
he knew he would be fired upon retiring he never would have come back to
play for the Wizards.[38]
Jordan kept busy over the next few years by
staying in shape, playing golf in celebrity charity tournaments,
spending time with his family in Chicago, promoting his Jordan Brand
clothing line, and riding motorcycles.[88] Since 2004, Jordan has owned
a professional closed-course motorcycle roadracing team that competes in
the premier Superbike class sanctioned by the American Motorcyclist
Association (AMA).[89] Jordan and his then-wife Juanita pledged $5
million to Chicago's Hales Franciscan High School in 2006,[90] and the
Jordan Brand has made donations to Habitat for Humanity and a Louisiana
branch of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.[91] On June 15, 2006,
Jordan became a part-owner of the Charlotte Bobcats and was named
"Managing Member of Basketball Operations." He has the largest
individual holding in the team after majority owner Robert L.
Johnson.[92] Despite Jordan's previous success as an endorser, he has
made an effort not to be included in Charlotte's marketing
campaigns.[93]
Player profile
Jordan was a shooting guard who was also
capable of playing small forward (the position he would primarily play
during his second comeback with the Washington Wizards). Jordan was
known throughout his career for being a strong clutch performer. He
decided numerous games with last-second plays (e.g., The Shot) and
performed at a high level even under adverse circumstances (e.g., Flu
Game). His competitiveness was visible in his prolific trash-talk[94]
and well-known work ethic.[95][96]
Jordan had a versatile offensive game. He
was capable of aggressively driving to the basket and drawing fouls from
his opponents at a high rate; his 8,772 free throw attempts are the
ninth highest total of all time.[97] As his career progressed, Jordan
also developed the ability to post up his opponents and score with his
trademark fadeaway jumpshot, using his leaping ability to "fade away"
from block attempts. According to Hubie Brown, this move alone made him
nearly unstoppable.[98] Despite media criticism as a "selfish" player
early in his career, Jordan's 5.3 assists per game[12] also indicate his
willingness to defer to his teammates. In later years, the NBA shortened
its three-point line to 22 feet (from 23 feet, 9 inches), which coupled
with Jordan's extended shooting range to make him a long-range threat as
well -- his 3-point stroke developed from a low 9 / 52 rate (.173) in
his rookie year into a stellar 111 / 260 (.427) shooter in the 1995–96
season.[12] For a guard, Jordan was also a good rebounder (6.2 per
game).[12]
In 1988, he was honored with the NBA's
Defensive Player of the Year Award and became the first NBA player to
win both the Defensive Player of the Year and MVP awards in a career
(since equaled by Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson, and Kevin Garnett;
Olajuwon is the only player other than Jordan to win both during the
same season). In addition he set records for blocked shots by a
guard,[99] and combined this with his ball-thieving ability to become a
standout defensive player. His 2,514 steals are the second highest total
of all-time behind John Stockton, while his steals per game average is
third all-time.[100] Jerry West often stated that he was more impressed
with Jordan's defensive contributions than his offensive ones.[101]
Legacy
Michael Jordan's basketball talent was
clear from his rookie season.[15][17] In his first game in Madison
Square Garden against the New York Knicks, Jordan received a prolonged
standing ovation,[17] a rarity for an opposing player. After Jordan
scored a playoff record 63 points against the Boston Celtics in 1986,
Celtics star Larry Bird described him as "God disguised as Michael
Jordan."[23]
Jordan led the NBA in scoring in 10 seasons
(NBA record) and tied Wilt Chamberlain's record of seven consecutive
scoring titles. He was also a fixture on the NBA All-Defensive First
Team, making the roster nine times (NBA record). Jordan also holds the
top career and playoff scoring averages of 30.1 and 33.4 points per
game,[1] respectively. By 1998, the season of his Finals-winning shot
against the Jazz, he was well known throughout the league as a clutch
performer. In the regular season, Jordan was the Bulls' primary threat
in the final seconds of a close game and in the playoffs, Jordan would
always demand the ball at crunch time.[102] Jordan's total of 5,987
points in the playoffs is the highest in NBA history.[103] He retired
with 32,292 points,[104] placing him third on the NBA's all-time scoring
list behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Karl Malone.[104]
With five regular-season MVPs (tied for
second place with Bill Russell; only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has won more,
six), six Finals MVPs (NBA record), and three All-Star MVPs, Jordan is
the most decorated player ever to play in the NBA. Jordan finished among
the top three in regular-season MVP voting a record 10 times, and was
named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996.
Many of Jordan's contemporaries label
Jordan as the greatest basketball player of all time.[101] An ESPN
survey of journalists, athletes and other sports figures ranked Jordan
the greatest North American athlete of the 20th century, above icons
such as Babe Ruth and Muhammad Ali.[105] Jordan placed second to Babe
Ruth in the Associated Press's list of 20th century athletes.[106] In
addition, the Associated Press voted him as the basketball player of the
20th century. [107] Jordan has also appeared on the front cover of
Sports Illustrated a record 49 times.[108] In the September 1996 issue
of Sport, which was the publication's 50th anniversary issue, Jordan was
named the greatest athlete of the past 50 years.[109]
Jordan's athletic leaping ability,
highlighted in his back-to-back slam dunk contest championships in 1987
and 1988, is credited by many with having influenced a generation of
young players.[110][111] Several current NBA All-Stars have stated that
they considered Jordan their role model while growing up, including
LeBron James[112] and Dwyane Wade.[113] In addition, commentators have
dubbed a number of next-generation players "the next Michael Jordan"
upon their entry to the NBA, including Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway, Grant
Hill, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Vince Carter, and Dwyane
Wade.[114][115][116] Although Jordan was a well-rounded player, his "Air
Jordan" image is also often credited with inadvertently decreasing the
jump shooting skills, defense, and fundamentals of young players,[110] a
fact which Jordan himself has lamented.
“ I think it was the exposure of Michael
Jordan; the marketing of Michael Jordan. Everything was marketed towards
the things that people wanted to see, which was scoring and dunking.
That Michael Jordan still played defense and an all-around game, but it
was never really publicized.[110] ”
Although Jordan has done much to increase
the status of the game, some of his impact on the game's popularity in
America appears to be fleeting.[117][118] Television ratings in
particular increased only during his time in the league and have
subsequently lowered each time he left the game.[117][118]
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 a younger sister, Roslyn. Jordan's brother James
retired in 2006 as the Command Sergeant Major of the 35th Signal Brigade
of the XVIII Airborne Corps in the U.S. Army.[119]
He married Juanita Vanoy in September 1989,
and they have two sons, Jeffrey Michael and Marcus James, and a
daughter, Jasmine. Jordan and Juanita filed for divorce on January 4,
2002, citing irreconcilable differences, but reconciled shortly
thereafter. They again filed for divorce and were granted a final decree
of dissolution of marriage on December 29, 2006, commenting that the
decision was made "mutually and amicably".[120][121]
It is reported that Juanita received a $168
million settlement, making it the largest celebrity divorce settlement
in history on public record.[122]
On July 21, 2006, a Cook County, Illinois
judge determined that Jordan did not owe a former lover, Karla Knafel,
$5 million.[123] Jordan had allegedly paid Knafel $250,000 to keep their
relationship a secret[124][125][126]. Knafel claimed Jordan promised her
that amount for remaining silent and agreeing not to file a paternity
suit after Knafel learned she was pregnant in 1991. A DNA test showed
Jordan was not the father of the child.[123]
As of 2007, Jordan lives in Highland Park,
Illinois,[120] and both of his sons attended Loyola Academy, a private
Roman Catholic high school located in Wilmette, Illinois.[127] Jeffrey
graduated as a member of the 2007 graduating class and played his first
collegiate basketball game on November 11, 2007, for the University of
Illinois. Marcus transferred to Whitney Young High School after his
sophomore year and is set to graduate in 2009.
Media figure and business interests
Jordan is one of the most marketed sports
figures in history. He has been a major spokesman for such brands as
Nike, Coca-Cola, Chevrolet, Gatorade, McDonald's, Ball Park Franks,
Rayovac, Wheaties, Hanes, and MCI.[128] Jordan has had a long
relationship with Gatorade, appearing in over 20 commercials for the
company since 1991, including the "Like Mike" commercials in which a
song was sung by children wishing to be like Jordan.[128][129]
Nike created a signature shoe for him,
called the Air Jordan. One of Jordan's more popular commercials for the
shoe involved Spike Lee playing the part of Mars Blackmon. In the
commercials Lee, as Blackmon, attempted to find the source of Jordan's
abilities and became convinced that "it's gotta be the shoes".[128] The
hype and demand for the shoes even brought on a spate of "shoe-jackings"
where people were robbed of their sneakers at gunpoint. Subsequently
Nike spun off the Jordan line into its own division named the "Jordan
Brand". The company features an impressive list of athletes and
celebrities as endorsers.[130][131] The brand has also sponsored college
sports programs such as those of North Carolina, Cincinnati, Cal, St.
John's, Georgetown, and North Carolina A&T.
Jordan also has been connected with the
Looney Tunes cartoon characters. A Nike commercial shown during the 1993
Super Bowl XXVII featured Jordan and Bugs Bunny playing basketball
against a group of Martian characters.[132] The Super Bowl commercial
inspired[citation needed] the 1996 live action/animated movie Space Jam,
which starred Jordan and Bugs in a fictional story set during his first
retirement. They have subsequently appeared together in several
commercials for MCI.
Jordan's income from the endorsements is
estimated to be several hundred million dollars[citation needed]. In
addition, when Jordan's power at the ticket gates was at its highest
point the Bulls regularly sold out every game they played in, whether
home or away.[133] Due to this, Jordan set records in player salary by
signing annual contracts worth in excess of $30 million US dollars per
season.[134]
Most of Jordan's endorsement deals,
including the first deal with Nike, were engineered by his agent, David
Falk.[135] Jordan has said of Falk that "he's the best at what he does",
and that "marketing-wise, he's great. He's the one who came up with the
concept of 'Air Jordan.'"[136]
An academic study found that Jordan’s first
NBA comeback resulted in an increase in the market capitalization of his
client firms of more than $1 billion.[137]
Honors and awards
Main article: List of career achievements
by Michael Jordan
Olympic Gold Medal: 1984, 1992
NBA Champion: 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997,
1998
NCAA National Championship: 1982
NBA MVP: 1987/88, 1990/91, 1991/92,
1995/96, 1997/98
NBA Finals MVP: 1990/91, 1991/92, 1992/93,
1995/96, 1996/97, 1997/98
NBA Leading Scorer: 1986/87, 1987/88,
1988/89, 1989/90, 1990/91, 1991/92, 1992/93, 1995/96, 1996/97, 1997/98
All-NBA First Team: 1986/87, 1987/88,
1988/89, 1989/90, 1990/91, 1991/92, 1992/93, 1995/96, 1996/97, 1997/98
All-NBA Second Team: 1984/85
NBA All-Star Game: 1984/85, 1985/86,
1986/87, 1987/88, 1988/89, 1989/90, 1990/91, 1991/92, 1992/93, 1995/96,
1996/97, 1997/98, 2001/02, 2002/03
NBA All-Star Game MVP: 1987/88, 1995/96,
1997/98
NBA All-Defensive Team: 1987/88, 1988/89,
1989/90, 1990/91, 1991/92, 1992/93, 1995/96, 1996/97, 1997/98
NBA Defensive Player of the Year: 1987/88
NBA Rookie of the Year: 1984/85
NBA Slam Dunk Contest winner: 1987, 1988
ACC Freshman of the Year: 1982
ACC Men's Basketball Player of the Year:
1984
USBWA College Player of the Year: 1984
Naismith College Player of the Year: 1984
John R. Wooden Award: 1984
Adolph Rupp Trophy: 1984
Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year:
1991
Ranked #1 by SLAM Magazine's Top 75 Players
of All-Time
Ranked #1 by ESPN Sportscentury's Top 100
Athletes of the 20th century
See also
Michael Jordan Steaks
Michael Jordan's Restaurant
List of individual National Basketball
Association scoring leaders by season
List of National Basketball Association
players with 60 or more points in a game
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