Image of Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan

Person

Basketball icon who was central to Nike's historic success and aspirational branding.


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9/13/2026, 4:56:00 AM

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9/13/2026, 4:56:00 AM

Summary

Michael Jordan, born February 17, 1963, is a prominent American businessman and former professional basketball and baseball player, widely recognized as one of the most influential sports figures in history and often considered the greatest basketball player of all time. His 15-season NBA career, primarily with the Chicago Bulls from 1984 to 2003, saw him win six NBA championships and significantly popularize the sport globally. Jordan's college career included a national championship with the North Carolina Tar Heels in 1982, and he was named national college player of the year in 1984 before being drafted by the Bulls. Known for his scoring prowess, defensive skills, and competitive spirit, he earned nicknames like "Air Jordan" and "His Airness" for his remarkable leaping ability. Jordan led the Bulls to three consecutive championships from 1991 to 1993, then briefly retired to play Minor League Baseball before returning in 1995 to secure three more titles from 1996 to 1998. He retired again in 1999, only to return for two seasons with the Washington Wizards from 2001 to 2003. His numerous individual accolades include six NBA Finals MVP awards, ten NBA scoring titles, five NBA MVP awards, and a Defensive Player of the Year award, holding NBA records for career regular season and playoff scoring averages. Jordan was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame twice, once for his individual career and once as part of the 1992 "Dream Team." Beyond his athletic achievements, Jordan became a marketing icon, notably through the success of Nike's Air Jordan sneakers. He also starred in the film *Space Jam* and was the subject of the documentary series *The Last Dance*. Jordan has held executive roles with the Charlotte Hornets and is a co-owner of a NASCAR team, amassing a significant net worth that makes him one of the world's wealthiest celebrities. In 2016, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

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    Michael Jordan

    Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963), also known by his initials MJ, is an American businessman, former professional basketball player, and former baseball player. He played 15 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) between 1984 and 2003, winning six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls. Jordan is regarded as one of the most influential sports figures in history and is considered by many to be the greatest basketball player of all time; he was integral in popularizing the sport and the NBA around the world in the 1980s and 1990s. Jordan played college basketball with the North Carolina Tar Heels. As a freshman, he was a member of the Tar Heels' national championship team in 1982. As a junior in 1984, he was named the national college player of the year and was selected by the Bulls with the third overall pick of the 1984 NBA draft. With the Bulls, he emerged as a league star known for prolific scoring, defensive prowess and vehement competitiveness. His leaping ability, demonstrated by performing slam dunks from the free-throw line in Slam Dunk Contests, earned him the nicknames "Air Jordan" and "His Airness". Jordan won his first NBA title with the Bulls in 1991 and followed that with titles in 1992 and 1993, securing a three-peat. Citing physical and mental exhaustion from basketball and superstardom, Jordan abruptly retired before the 1993–94 NBA season to play Minor League Baseball in the Chicago White Sox organization. He returned to the Bulls in 1995 and led them to three more championships in 1996, 1997, and 1998, as well as a then-record 72 regular season wins in the 1995–96 NBA season. Jordan retired for the second time in 1999, then returned for two NBA seasons from 2001 to 2003 as a member of the Washington Wizards. He was selected to play for the United States national team during his college and NBA careers, winning four gold medals—at the 1983 Pan American Games, 1984 Summer Olympics, 1992 Tournament of the Americas and 1992 Summer Olympics—while also being undefeated. Jordan's individual accolades include six NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards, 10 NBA scoring titles (both all-time records), five NBA MVP awards, an NBA Defensive Player of the Year award, 10 All-NBA First Team designations, nine All-Defensive First Team honors, 14 NBA All-Star Game selections, and three NBA All-Star Game MVP awards. He holds the NBA records for career regular season scoring average (30.1 points per game) and career playoff scoring average (33.4 points per game). He is one of only eight players to achieve the basketball Triple Crown. In 1999, Jordan was named the 20th century's greatest North American athlete by ESPN and was second to Babe Ruth on the Associated Press' list of athletes of the century. Jordan was twice inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, once in 2009 for his individual career, and in 2010 as part of the 1992 United States men's Olympic basketball team ("The Dream Team"). The trophy for the NBA Most Valuable Player Award is named in his honor. One of the most effectively marketed athletes ever, Jordan made many product endorsements. He fueled the success of Nike's Air Jordan sneakers, which were introduced in 1984 and remain popular. Jordan starred as himself in the live-action animated film Space Jam (1996) and was the focus of the Emmy-winning documentary series The Last Dance (2020). He became part-owner and head of basketball operations for the Charlotte Hornets (then named the Bobcats) in 2006 and bought a controlling interest in 2010, before selling his majority stake in 2023. Jordan is a co-owner of 23XI Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series. He is the wealthiest athlete of all time with official records, and one of the world's richest celebrities, with a $4.3 billion net worth as of 2026. In 2016, President Barack Obama awarded Jordan the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

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    • Michael Jordan

      Edit links Article Talk Read View source View history Read View source View history What links here Related changes Upload file Permanent link Page information Cite this page Get shortened URL Switch to legacy parser Print/export Download as PDF Printable version In other projects Wikimedia Commons Wikiquote Wikidata item Appearance Featured article Page semi-protected From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia American basketball player and businessman (born 1963) For other uses, see Michael Jordan (disambiguation) "Michael Jordan (disambiguation)"). Michael Jordan [...] ## Early life Michael Jeffrey Jordan was born on February 17, 1963, at Cumberland Hospital "Cumberland Hospital (Brooklyn)") in the Fort Greene neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York City, to bank employee Deloris (née Peoples) and equipment supervisor James R. Jordan Sr. He has two older brothers, James Jr. and Larry "Larry Jordan (basketball)"), as well as an older sister named Deloris and a younger sister named Roslyn. Jordan and his siblings were raised Methodist. [...] # Michael Jordan

    • Michael Jordan: Biography, Basketball Player, Businessman

      ## Who Is Michael Jordan? Michael Jordan is a former professional basketball player, American Olympic athlete, businessperson, and actor. Considered one of the best basketball players ever, he dominated the sport from the mid-1980s to the late 1990s. Jordan led the Chicago Bulls to six NBA championships and earned the league’s MVP Award five times. With five regular-season MVPs and three All-Star MVPs, Jordan became the most decorated player in the NBA. ## Quick Facts FULL NAME: Michael Jeffrey Jordan BORN: February 17, 1963 BIRTHPLACE: Brooklyn, New York SPOUSES: Juanita Vanoy (1989–2006), Yvette Prieto (2013–present) CHILDREN: Jeffrey, Marcus, Jasmine, Ysabel, and Victoria ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Aquarius ## Early Life and Family [...] The 6-foot-6 Jordan began his professional basketball career when he was drafted by the Chicago Bulls in 1984. He was the third overall pick, behind Hakeem Olajuwon, who was selected first by the Houston Rockets, and Sam Bowie, taken by the Portland Trail Blazers; the draft also featured legendary players John Stockton and Charles Barkley. Jordan soon proved himself on the court. He helped the Bulls make the playoffs and scored an average of 28.2 points per game that season. For his efforts, Jordan received the NBA Rookie of the Year Award and was selected for the All-Star Game. [...] Although his second season was marred by injury, he broke new ground on the court during the 1986-87 season. He became the first player since Wilt Chamberlain to score more than 3,000 points in a single season. By the late 1980s, the Chicago Bulls were quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with, and Jordan was an instrumental part of the team’s success. The Bulls made it to the Eastern Conference Finals in 1990 and won their first NBA championship the following year by defeating the Los Angeles Lakers. Jordan was well known by then for his superior athleticism on the court and for his leadership abilities.

    • Michael Jordan - IMDb

      Michael Jeffrey Jordan was born in Brooklyn, New York on February 17, 1963. He was the fourth of five children born to James and Deloris. James Jordan was a mechanic and Deloris Jordan was a bank teller. Soon after Michael's birth, James and Deloris felt that the streets of Brooklyn were unsafe to raise a family, so they moved the family to Wilmington, North Carolina. As a youngster, Michael immediately became interested in sports. However, it was baseball not basketball that was his first love. He would play catch in the yard with his father, who loved baseball. He soon started to play basketball to try and follow in the footsteps of his older brother, Larry, whom he idolized growing up. At Laney High School, as a sophomore, he decided to try out for the [...] university in 1986 to complete his degree in geography. In the 1984 NBA draft, he was selected with the third overall pick by the Chicago Bulls. As a rookie for the Bulls, he made an immediate impact, averaging an amazing 28.2 points a game, including six games where he scored 40+ points. He was selected to the NBA All-Star Game and named Rookie of the Year. This would just be the beginning of a career filled with awards and accolades. In the upcoming years, he would go on to win five regular season MVP awards, six NBA championships, six NBA finals MVP awards, three All-Star game MVP awards, and a defensive player of the year award. In 1993, tragedy struck Jordan's seemingly perfect life. On July 23, 1993, his father, James, was murdered off Interstate 95 in North [...] Gatorade - The Secret to Victory Video + 2017 My Wife and Kids (2000) My Wife and Kids 7.0 TV Series + Michael Jordan + 2004 A Season on the Brink (2002) A Season on the Brink 5.2 TV Movie + Michael Jordan (1984 Los Angeles Olympics player) (uncredited) + 2002 May J. Blige: Give Me You (1999) May J. Blige: Give Me You Video + Michael Jordan + 1999 Denzel Washington in He Got Game (1998) He Got Game 6.9 + Michael Jordan + 1998 Michael Jordan in NBA Hardwood Classics (1984) NBA Hardwood Classics 8.7 TV Series + 1984–1998 NBA on NBC (1990) NBA on NBC 6.9 TV Series + 1991–1997 Michael Jordan and Billy West in Space Jam (1996) Space Jam 6.5 + Michael Jordan

    • Legends profile: Michael Jordan | NBA.com

      > Archive 75: Michael Jordan | 75 Stories: Michael Jordan By acclamation, Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time. Although, a summary of his basketball career and influence on the game inevitably fails to do it justice, as a phenomenal athlete with a unique combination of fundamental soundness, grace, speed, power, artistry, improvisational ability and an unquenchable competitive desire, Jordan single-handedly redefined the NBA superstar. [...] A brief listing of his top accomplishments would include the following: Rookie of the Year; Five-time NBA MVP; Six-time NBA champion; Six-time NBA Finals MVP; Ten-time All-NBA First Team; Nine time NBA All-Defensive First Team; Defensive Player of the Year; 14-time NBA All-Star; Three-time NBA All-Star MVP; 50th Anniversary All-Time Team; Ten scoring titles — an NBA record and seven consecutive matching Wilt Chamberlain; Retired with the NBA’s highest scoring average of 30.1ppg; Hall of Fame inductee. Considered one of the greatest players ever, Michael Jordan made 11 All-NBA teams, won 5 MVPs, 6 Finals MVPs and 6 NBA titles and crafted a legendary legacy. [...] At the turn of the 21st century, ESPN conducted an expansive survey of media members, athletes and others associated with the sports world to rank the 20th century’s greatest athletes. Jordan topped the list above Babe Ruth and Muhammad Ali — substantiating his link to those earlier cultural icons. In 2009, Jordan was immortalized in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as the headliner of a class that also included NBA legends John Stockton, David Robinson and Jerry Sloan. One year later, Jordan added another accomplishment to his storied career.

    • Michael Jordan Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more

      Sports Reference ® Baseball Football (college) Basketball (college) Hockey Soccer Blog Stathead ® Immaculate Grid ® Questions or Comments? Welcome · Your Account Logout Ad-Free Login Create Account Basketball-Reference.com Players Teams Seasons Leaders Scores WNBA Draft Stathead Newsletter Full Site Menu Below You are here: BBR Home Page > Players > J > Michael Jordan Welcome · Your Account Logout Ad-Free Login Create Account Photo of Michael Jordan # Michael Jordan Michael Jeffrey Jordan (Mike, Air Jordan, M.J., His Airness, Money, Black Cat, Mr. June, G.O.A.T., Superman, Captain Marvel, Black Jesus, Magic Mike) Position: Shooting Guard and Small Forward ▪ Shoots: Right 6-6, 198lb (198cm, 89kg) [...] 6-6, 198lb (198cm, 89kg) Born: February 17, 1963 in Brooklyn, New York us College: UNC High School: Emsley A. Laney in Wilmington, North Carolina Draft: Chicago Bulls, 1st round (3rd pick, 3rd overall), 1984 NBA Draft NBA Debut: October 26, 1984 Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 2009 (Full List) Career Length: 15 years Hall of Fame 14x All Star 10x Scoring Champ 3x STL Champ 6x NBA Champ 11x All-NBA 1984-85 All-Rookie 1984-85 ROY 9x All-Defensive 3x AS MVP 1987-88 Def. POY 5x MVP 6x Finals MVP NBA 75th Anniv. Team Become a Stathead & surf this site ad-free. SUMMARY G PTS TRB 6.2 AST 5.3 FG% 49.7 FG3% 32.7 FT% 83.5 eFG% 50.9 PER 27.9 WS 214.0 Michael Jordan Menu Michael Jordan Overview More Jordan Pages Game Logs [...] ### What did Michael Jordan average? Michael Jordan averaged 30.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game. ### How many rings does Michael Jordan have? Michael Jordan won 6 championships. ### What schools did Michael Jordan attend? Michael Jordan attended Emsley A. Laney in Wilmington, North Carolina and UNC. ### What are Michael Jordan's nicknames? Mike, Air Jordan, M.J., His Airness, Money, Black Cat, Mr. June, G.O.A.T., Superman, Captain Marvel, Black Jesus, Magic Mike are nicknames for Michael Jordan. ## Name + "Statistics" Translations Note, this is done in an automated way, so we apologize for any errors, & please report any suggested corrections. "Statistics" is included to allow non-English speakers to find our pages. ## More Jordan Pages

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    Michael Jordan, West Monroe Street, West Haven, Near West Side, Chicago, West Chicago Township, Cook County, Illinois, 60612, United States

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    Coordinates: 41.8807048, -87.6730825

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