Alon gratch biography of michael jordan

–present

Latest News: Michael Jordan Completes Sale of Hornets

Basketball icon Michael Jordan officially sold his majority ownership in the Charlotte Hornets NBA team on August 3. The team was sold for an estimated $3 billion, more than 10 times the $ million Jordan purchased it for in The Hornets made the playoffs only three times under Jordan’s leadership.

“I’m excited about the future of the team and will continue to support the organization and the community in my new role in the years ahead,” said Jordan, who kept a minority stake in the franchise.

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 mids to the late s. 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,
BIRTHPLACE: Brooklyn, New York
SPOUSES: Juanita Vanoy (–), Yvette Prieto (–present)
CHILDREN: Jeffrey, Marcus, Jasmine, Ysabel, and Victoria
ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Aquarius

Early Life and Family

Michael Jeffrey Jordan was born on February 17, , in Brooklyn, New York.

His mother, Deloris, was a bank teller who has since written several books. His father, James, was a maintenance worker turned manager at General Electric. Jordan, the fourth child of Deloris and James, has four siblings: James Jr. (known as Ronnie), Deloris, Larry, and Roslyn.

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Growing up in Wilmington, North Carolina, Jordan developed a competitive edge at an early age.

It was James who introduced his son Michael to baseball and built a basketball court in their backyard. Michael idolized his brother Larry, and the two would often play one-on-one into the night.

Alon gratch biography of michael jordan In the years that followed, he remained actively involved in the sport, serving as a team executive and owner of the Charlotte Hornets. The 6-foot-6 Jordan began his professional basketball career when he was drafted by the Chicago Bulls in He pledged to donate his salary to the victims of the September 11, attacks. As we reflect on the life and career of Michael Jordan, it is clear that his impact on the game of basketball and the world at large is truly unparalleled.

Michael wanted to win every game he played.

Jordan attended Laney High School in Wilmington. He was notably assigned to the school’s junior varsity basketball team as a sophomore—he was still under 6 feet tall then—before developing into one of the country’s top recruits.

During a basketball camp in the summer of , Jordan grabbed the attention of legendary University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill head coach Dean Smith and his staff.

He signed his letter of intent with the school in

College Career

Jordan enrolled at North Carolina in and soon became an important member of the university’s basketball team. UNC won the NCAA Division I championship in , 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 and in

Jordan left college after his junior year to join the NBA in In , Jordan finished his bachelor’s degree in geography as he continued to play basketball professionally.

Professional Basketball Career

The 6-foot-6 Jordan began his professional basketball career when he was drafted by the Chicago Bulls in 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 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 season. He became the first player since Wilt Chamberlain to score more than 3, points in a single season.

By the late s, 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 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.

In , the Chicago Bulls beat the Portland Trail Blazers to win their second NBA championship.

Biography of larry bird The marketing strategies employed by Nike and the Air Jordan brand revolutionized athletic endorsements and transcended the boundaries of traditional sports marketing. In , Jordan married Juanita Vanoy. His relentless drive for excellence, determination, and competitive spirit make him a true role model for aspiring athletes and individuals alike. Your legacy as one of the greatest basketball players of all time was secure, leaving an indelible mark on the game and inspiring generations of future athletes.

The team took their third championship the following year, dominating in the basketball world.

Following the death of his father and a short stint in minor league baseball, Jordan returned to the basketball court and the Bulls in March He came back even stronger the following year, averaging points per game to lead the Bulls to a then-record 72 regular-season wins before they defeated the Seattle SuperSonics for the NBA championship.

Chicago nearly matched the previous year’s record with 69 wins in , a season that ended with a Game 6 win over the Utah Jazz in the NBA Finals.

The two teams faced each other again for the championship in , with Jordan sinking the winning shot in Game 6 to claim his sixth and final title. In addition to those six rings, Jordan won each of his five league MVP awards with Chicago.

After his second retirement from basketball in , Jordan joined the Washington Wizards in as a part owner and as president of basketball operations.

In the fall of , Jordan relinquished these roles to return to the court once more. He played for the Wizards for his final two NBA seasons.

Jordan’s Jersey Numbers

Jordan is most famous for donning No. 23 during the majority of his career. He once said the number was a reference to brother Larry, as it was roughly half of his elder sibling’s high school number

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. 12 for one game on February 14, , because his jersey had been stolen. The Bulls didn’t have a backup and tried to locate a 23 jersey in the stands that would fit Jordan but couldn’t. The temporary change didn’t affect his performance, as Jordan scored 49 points in a loss to the Orlando Magic.

Olympics

During the summer of , Jordan made his first appearance at the Olympic Games as a member of the U.S.

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.

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The U.S. squad featured professional players for the first time that year, including Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and Jordan, and became known as the “Dream Team.”

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Awards and Honors

In , Jordan received his first MVP Award from the NBA, an honor he would earn four more times, in , , , and

In April , Jordan received one of basketball’s greatest honors: He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Attending the induction ceremony was a bittersweet affair for Jordan because being at the event meant “your basketball career is completely over,” he explained.

In , Jordan was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama.

Stats

Here is a rundown of Jordan’s NBA career averages and totals, according to Basketball Reference:

Career Averages

• Minutes:
• Field Goal Percentage:
• 3-Point Field Goal Percentage:
• Free Throw Percentage:
• Offensive Rebounds Per Game:
• Defensive Rebounds Per Game:
• Assists Per Game:
• Steals Per Game:
• Blocks Per Game:
• Turnovers Per Game:
• Personal Fouls Per Game:
• Points Per Game:

Career Totals

• Games: 1,
• Games Started: 1,
• Minutes: 41,
• Field Goals Made: 12, of 24, attempts
• 3-Point Field Goals Made: of 1, attempts
• Free Throws Made: 7, of 8, attempts
• Offensive Rebounds: 1,
• Defensive Rebounds: 5,
• Total Rebounds: 6,
• Assists: 5,
• Steals: 2,
• Blocks:
• Turnovers: 2,
• Personal Fouls: 2,
• Points: 32,

Retirements from Basketball

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,

Baseball

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.

This decision came shortly following the murder of Jordan’s father, who always wanted him to play baseball. He had last played baseball as a high school senior in

“You tell me I can’t do something, and I’m going to do it,” Jordan said.

During his short career in baseball, which many fans considered a whim, Jordan had a rather dismal batting average.

However, many of the people who worked with him at the time said he was an extremely dedicated player with potential.

“He had it all: ability, aptitude, work ethic. He was always so respectful of what we were doing and considerate of his teammates. Granted, he had a lot to learn,” former Barons manager Terry Francona said.

“I do think with another 1, at-bats, he would’ve made it. But there’s something else that people miss about that season. Baseball wasn’t the only thing he picked up. I truly believe that he rediscovered himself, his joy for competition. We made him want to play basketball again.”

After his season with the Barons, Jordan went to the Arizona Fall League to play for the Scottsdale Scorpions.

After hitting and naming himself the team’s “worst player,” he returned to the NBA in March with a two-word press release: “I’m back.”

Jordan’s Business Ventures

Outside of his career in basketball, Jordan has been involved in a number of profitable business and commercial ventures, including a longtime partnership with Nike.

Jordan signed his first deal with Nike in The company launched its signature Air Jordan basketball sneakers in In its initial contract, Nike gave Jordan a generous 25 percent in royalties.

The Air Jordan quickly proved very popular, and it continues to be a best-seller for the apparel maker more than 30 years later.

The collaboration mints money for Nike and Jordan, with Nike reporting nearly $ billion in revenue for the Air Jordan line in

The story of Jordan’s partnership with Nike is the subject of the biographical drama Air, which stars Ben Affleck as Nike founder Phil Knight and Matt Damon as marketing executive Sonny Vaccaro.

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Over the years, Jordan has signed a number of other endorsement deals with brands like Hanes, Upper Deck, Gatorade, Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Chevrolet, and Wheaties.

The Gatorade partnership featured a memorable ad campaign encouraging kids and adults to “Be Like Mike.”

In , Jordan launched into the restaurant business as the owner of Michael Jordan’s The Steak House N.Y.C. Designed to reflect Jordan’s tastes and style, this typical steakhouse seated and 60 at the bar, occupying 7, square feet in Grand Central Terminal, before closing in late

As of April , there are four Michael Jordan’s Steak House locations: in Chicago; in Oak Brook, Illinois; at the Mohegan Sun casino in Uncasville, Connecticut; and at the Ilani Casino in Ridgefield, Washington.

Part Owner of the Charlotte Hornets

In , Jordan bought a share of the Charlotte Hornets (formerly known as the Bobcats) and joined the team’s executive ranks as its managing member of basketball operations.

In , he became the majority owner of the Charlotte Hornets and serves as the team’s chairman.

Improving the team’s less-than-stellar record seemed to be Jordan’s priority. In November , he told ESPN: “I don’t anticipate getting out of this business. My competitive nature is I want to succeed. It’s always been said that when I can’t find a way to do anything, I will find a way to do it.” While the Hornets’ on-court record wasn’t hugely successful—they failed to make the playoffs six straight seasons from through —the organization grew from a $ million valuation in to $ billion by October

In March , ESPN reported that Jordan was in talks to sell his majority stake in the franchise to a group led by two NBA minority owners.

Five months later on August 3, Jordan completed the sale to a group including the team’s minority owner, Gabe Plotkin, as well as music artists J. Cole and Eric Church.

Short biography of michael jordan: He went on to open a basketball shoe and apparel store in Florida. Tyler Reddick replaced Busch in the 45 for the season and quickly gave the team a fourth race win at Circuit of the Americas. Following the death of his father and a short stint in minor league baseball, Jordan returned to the basketball court and the Bulls in March This unexpected return to the game he loved captivated fans once again, as Jordan demonstrated that he still possessed the skill and athleticism that had made him a legend.

Jordan kept a minority stake in the franchise.

Jordan’s NASCAR Team

In , Jordan partnered with NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin to form the 23XI Racing team. The name is a reference to Jordan’s basketball number and Hamlin’s No.

11 race car.

Jordan is a longtime NASCAR fan and grew up watching legends of the sport like Richard Petty, Cale Yarborough, and Dale Earnhardt. Hamlin is a Jordan brand athlete and fan of the Charlotte Hornets, so the two were friends before the NASCAR partnership.

The team debuted in the Daytona with Bubba Wallace driving the No.

23 car.

Alon gratch biography of michael jordan for kids Your passion for baseball led you to pursue a career in the sport during your first retirement from basketball. In his rookie season, Jordan averaged an impressive We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. My competitive nature is I want to succeed.

Wallace picked up the team’s first NASCAR Cup victory later that season on October 4 at Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama.

The team expanded to two cars for the season, with former champion Kurt Busch driving the No. 45 car. Busch and Wallace each won a race at Kansas Speedway that year. Tyler Reddick replaced Busch in the 45 for the season and quickly gave the team a fourth race win at Circuit of the Americas.

Net Worth

Forbes listed Jordan’s net worth at $2 billion as of April 3, According to Sportico, he is the highest paid athlete of all time.

Charity

From through , Jordan hosted an annual charity golf event known as the Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitational, with proceeds benefiting foundations including Make-A-Wish, Cats Care, the James R.

Jordan Foundation, Keep Memory Alive, and Opportunity Village.

The four-day tournament and celebration attracted celebrity participants, including Wayne Gretzky, Michael Phelps, Chevy Chase, Samuel L. Jackson, and Mark Wahlberg.

In , Jordan made a $10 million donation to the Make-A-Wish Foundation—the largest by an individual in its history—in honor of his 60th birthday.

Wives and Children

In , Jordan married Juanita Vanoy.

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The couple had three children together: Jeffrey, Marcus, and Jasmine. After 17 years of marriage, they divorced in December

On April 27, , Jordan married year-old Cuban American model Yvette Prieto in Palm Beach, Florida. Tiger Woods, Spike Lee, and Patrick Ewing, among other celebrities, reportedly attended the wedding ceremony.

The couple welcomed twin daughters, Victoria and Ysabel, in February

Jordan and Juanita’s two sons, Jeffrey and Marcus, both played basketball in college and had dreams of making it to the NBA.

Jeffrey joined the basketball team at the University of Illinois in Both Jordan and his ex-wife, Juanita, supported their son and tried to help him deal with playing in the shadow of an NBA legend.

“The thing that we have tried to tell Jeff is that you set your own expectations. By no means in this world can you ever live up to someone else’s expectations of who you are,” Jordan said during an appearance on the Today show.

Jeffrey played for the University of Illinois for three seasons, from to He then played for the University of South Florida for one season, from to , before retiring from basketball.

He later entered a management training program at Nike.

Jordan’s younger son, Marcus, played basketball for the UCF Knights, for three seasons from to He went on to open a basketball shoe and apparel store in Florida. “They wanted to be like their dad. What boy doesn’t? But they both got to a point where they said, ‘We’re not going to the NBA,’” Juanita said in

Michael Jordan in Pop Culture

Jordan made a big splash as the lead actor in the movie Space Jam.

The film mixed live action and animation and paired Jordan with Looney Tunes legends Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck on screen. Jordan did not appear in the sequel Space Jam: A New Legacy, which features LeBron James.

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Jordan and the Bulls were the subject of the documentary The Last Dance, co-produced by Netflix and ESPN Films.

ESPN aired the part series after the COVID pandemic halted the NBA season, and it became a must-watch for basketball fans. Along with featuring archival footage of Jordan and interviews with teammates and opponents, The Last Dance explored the tension between the Bulls front office and its peerless superstar over his final triumphant year with the team.

Jordan has also appeared on the cover of the popular NBA 2K video game franchise four times, including as recently as

A photograph of Jordan in tears during his induction into the Hall of Fame turned into a popular internet meme called “Crying Jordan,” in which Jordan’s teary face is superimposed on pictures of other people suffering mishaps.

Quotes

• You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them.
• By no means in this world can you ever live up someone else’s expectations of who you are.
• My competitive nature is I want to succeed. It’s always been said that when I can’t find a way to do anything, I will find a way to do it.
• I’ve reached the pinnacle of my career.

  I just feel that I don’t have anything else to prove.

• I can accept failure. Everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.
• Limits, like fear, is often an illusion.
• [A]t the end of the day, the team’s got to go out and play. I think the players win the championship, and the organization has something to do with it, don’t get me wrong.

  But don’t try to put the organization above the players.

• The game of basketball has been everything to me. My place of refuge, place I’ve always gone where I needed comfort and peace. It’s been the site of intense pain and the most intense feelings of joy and satisfaction. It’s a relationship that has evolved over time, given me the greatest respect and love for the game.
• I try to be a role model for Black kids, white kids, yellow kids, green kids.
• Enjoy every minute of life.

  Never second-guess life.

• I always thought I would be a professional athlete.
  Alon gratch biography of michael jordan basketball player Jordan won his first NBA championship in , and went on to win two more in and His business acumen and strategic investments have further solidified his status as a savvy entrepreneur, showcasing his ability to translate his on-court success into off-court financial success. Throughout his career and beyond, Jordan has leveraged his fame and success to venture into various off-court endeavors, cementing his status as a true global icon. After his final season in , Jordan planned to return to a leadership role in the Wizards organization.

  I always loved sports. I knew one thing I didn’t want was a job. Me and working were never best friends. I enjoyed playing.

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