Michael Jordan Biography

A poll was conducted amongst world sporting greats. They were asked to name one sportsperson that they admired the most and did not belong to their sport. The most common answer to the poll "Michael Jordan". Cynics would attribute the result to the fact that Michael Jordan is American and like other things the Americans were excellent and marketing their sports.

But one look at Michael Jordan's life and career and it is apparent that the cynics doubts are unfounded. Today Michael Jordan is universally recognized as the greatest basketball player in the history of the game.

Michael Jeffrey Jordan was born on February 17, 1963, in Brooklyn, New York. The family moved to Wilmington, North Carolina when he was still a toddler. Jordan is the fourth of five children, having two older brothers and an older and younger sister. Michael's dad worked at an electric plant while his mother worked at a bank. Jordan was not a rags-to-riches story, his childhood was reasonably comfortable.

Jordan played basketball for Laney High School in Wilmington, North Carolina. Ironically, Jordan was cut from the varsity team as a sophomore. "Whenever I was working out and got tired and figured I ought to stop, I'd close my eyes and see that list in the locker room without my name on it," Jordan said, "and that usually got me going again." He eventually made the team and led it to the state championship.

The number of records that Jordan holds will boggle the mind of even the most seasoned mathematics wizard. In 1984 Michael Jordan was the third player to be drafted after Hakim Olajuwon and Sam Bowie. Jordan was drafted by the Chicago Bulls. Jordan went on to guide the Bulls to six NBA Championships (1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998). During all his championship winning years he was also named as NBA Finals MVP.

Michael Jordan holds the single series NBA Finals record for highest PPG average. Jordan was named in the All-NBA First Team ten times. He holds the record for leading the scoring in the most number of seasons "10". A testimony to his dominance in the Chicago Bulls team was that he was the highest scores, had the most steals and assists in the team. The Bulls team had players of the caliber of Scotty Pippen, Dennis Rodman and Tony Kukoc. Jordan's famous number 23 jersey was retired on 1st November, 1994. He has hit 28 game-winning shots in the NBA. Jordan was a member of the gold medal-winning 1984 and 1992 United States Olympic Basketball Teams.

Michael Jordan was named NBA Rookie of the Year in 1985. Jordan holds the All-Star record having the only triple-double in an All-Star game in 1997. Michael scored a career playoff-high 63 points against Boston on 20th May, 1986. Jordan notched his 30,000th point on 1st April, 2002 against the Bulls. He became the only 40 year old NBA player to ever score over 40 points on 21st, February, 2003.

Jordan shocked the NBA by announcing his retirement prior to the 1993-94 season. He spent the year playing minor league baseball for the Class AA Birmingham Barons of the Chicago White Sox organization. His stint in baseball was a short lived affair and he was soon back in the familiar Red and White Chicago Bulls jersey. The breakup of the Bulls dynasty by Jerry Krause led to Jordan's second retirement. Jordan stated he would not play basketball for anyone else other than Phil Jackson.

Michael Jordan also expressed a desire to spend more time with his wife, Juanita, and their three children, Jeffrey, Marcus, and Jasmine. Phil Jackson made the move to L.A. Lakers which was the new reincarnation of the Bulls. It had players such as Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant and Rick Fox on its rolls.

Michael Jordan later joined the Washington Wizards as President of Basketball Operations and part owner in January 2000. But his attempts to turnaround the Washington Wizards from the sidelines were a failure. A situation that was alien and completely unacceptable to man compels him to do things that were perceived as unachievable.

Michael Jordan's burning competitive desire to succeed motivated him to return once again as a basketball player, and turn the Wizards franchise around. Jordan began training, informing the media, at first, he was only doing it to lose weight. He worked himself into basketball shape during the summer by holding several invitation-only camps of pickup games with other NBA players at a Chicago gym. Unfortunately, Jordan was never able to lead his Wizards into the postseason as a player. He retired for a third and final time after playing his final game on April 16th, 2003.

Michael Jordan's ability to rise above his peers and competitors is captured by his statement, "body could stand the crutches but my mind couldn't stand the sideline".