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Quick Facts
- NAME: Michael Jordan
- OCCUPATION: Basketball Player
- BIRTH DATE: February 17, 1963 (Age: 50)
- EDUCATION: Emsley A. Laney High School, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- PLACE OF BIRTH: Brooklyn, New York
- Full Name: Michael Jeffrey Jordan
- AKA: Michael Jordan
- Nickname: "Air Jordan"
- Nickname: "Black Cat"
- Nickname: "MJ"
- Nickname: "His Airness"
- ZODIAC SIGN: Aquarius
Best Known For
Michael Jordan is a former American basketball player who led the Bulls to six national championships and earned the NBA Most Valuable Player Award five times.
Videos see all videos
Michael Jordan - Mini Biography
A short biography of Michael Jordan who became a basketball legend with the Chicago Bulls and one of the greatest sports salesman with his Nike Air Jordans.
Magic Johnson - Mini Biography
A short biography of Magic Johnson who dominated basketball for 13 years as a player for the L.A. Lakers. In 1991, he announced that he was HIV positive and used his name to raise awareness for the disease.
Muhammad Ali - His Life and Times
Hana Ali, George Foreman, and Thomas Hauser, author of "Muhammad Ali: His Life and Time," describe Muhammad Ali's bold personality, his evolving religious views, and his outspoken activism. Video courtesy of Open Road Media.
Muhammad Ali - Rumble in the Jungle
Muhammad Ali talks about his "Rumble in the Jungle" bout with George Foreman in 1974.
Quiz
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Play NowMichael Jordan. (2013). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved 05:09, May 23, 2013, from http://www.biography.com/people/michael-jordan-9358066.
Michael Jordan. [Internet]. 2013. The Biography Channel website. Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/michael-jordan-9358066 [Accessed 23 May 2013].
"Michael Jordan." 2013. The Biography Channel website. May 23 2013, 05:09 http://www.biography.com/people/michael-jordan-9358066.
"Michael Jordan," The Biography Channel website, 2013, http://www.biography.com/people/michael-jordan-9358066 [accessed May 23, 2013].
"Michael Jordan," The Biography Channel website, http://www.biography.com/people/michael-jordan-9358066 (accessed May 23, 2013).
Michael Jordan [Internet]. The Biography Channel website; 2013 [cited 2013 May 23] Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/michael-jordan-9358066.
Michael Jordan, http://www.biography.com/people/michael-jordan-9358066 (last visited May 23, 2013).
Michael Jordan. The Biography Channel website. 2013. Available at: http://www.biography.com/people/michael-jordan-9358066. Accessed May 23, 2013.
Synopsis
American basketball star Michael Jordan was born on February 17, 1963, in Brooklyn, New York. Jordan left college after his junior year to join the NBA. Drafted by the Chicago Bulls, he helped the team make it to the playoffs. For his efforts there, Jordan received the NBA Rookie of the Year Award. With five regular-season MVPs and three All-Star MVPs, Jordan became the most decorated player in the NBA.
Quotes
"You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them."
Early Life
Professional basketball player, Olympic athlete, businessperson, actor. Born on February 17, 1963, in Brooklyn, New York. Considered one of the best basketball players ever, Michael Jordan dominated the sport from the mid-1980s to the late 1990s. He led the Chicago Bulls to six national championships, and earned the National Basketball Association's Most Valuable Player Award five times.
Growing up in Wilmington, North Carolina, Jordan developed a competitive edge at an early age. He wanted to win every game he played. As his father James later noted, "What he does have is a competition problem. He was born with that ... the person he tries to outdo most of the time is himself."
Jordan enrolled at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1981 and soon became an important member of the school's basketball team. His team won the NCAA Division I championships in 1982 with Jordan scoring the final basket needed to defeat Georgetown University. He was also singled out as the NCAA College Player of the Year in 1983 and in 1984.
During the summer of 1984, Jordan made his first appearance at the Olympic Games as a member of the U.S. Olympic basketball team. The team 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 1992 Olympic Games, held in Barcelona, Spain.
NBA Superstar
Jordan left college after his junior year to join the NBA. Drafted by the Chicago Bulls, he soon proved himself on the court. He helped the team make it to 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.
In 1985, he finished his bachelor's degree in geography and continued to play basketball professionally. While his second season was marred by injury, Jordan was breaking new ground on the court during the 1986-1987 season. He became the first player since Wilt Chamberlin to score more than 3,000 points in a single season. The following season, Jordan received his first Most Valuable Player Award from NBA—an honor he would earn four more times in 1991, 1992, 1996, and 1998.
By the late 1980s, the Chicago Bulls was 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. A rising NBA superstar, Jordan became known for his power and agility on the court as well as for his leadership abilities.
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Included In These Groups
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Million-Dollar Ideas
View groupWith innovative ideas and charismatic personalities, many African-Americans have made lasting contributions to the country, while also earning millions. Oprah Winfrey emerged as a world-famous one-woman brand with her show, eventually becoming the world's first black billionaire. Robert L. Johnson started BET, the cable channel geared towards African-Americans. Athlete Michael Jordan turned into a household name through numerous endorsement deals. These people were among the first African-Americans to overcome the obstacles of discrimination and achieve top honors in their fields. With talent and determination, each one reinvented not only what it meant to be an African-American, but also what it meant to be an American.
Million-Dollar Ideas 9 people in this group
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Famous University of North Carolina Alumni 15 people in this group
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Celebrity Golfers
View groupCheck out our collection of A-listers like Justin Timberlake, Matt Damon, and Samuel L. Jackson, who have embraced the green and come out swinging for the sake of sport and charity.
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