Few athletes in the history of professional sports can match the extraordinary success enjoyed by Michael Jordan. After entering the NBA in 1984 as a gangly rookie with superhuman leaping ability, Jordan became an unstoppable scoring machine and multi-time champion, as well as a marketing icon who pally around with Bugs Bunny and convinced millions of kids to “be like Mike.” His legend still looms large almost two decades after he last laced up his Nikes in an NBA game, here are seven facts about the life of this iconic athlete:
His High School Journey: A Story of Perseverance
The story of Jordan being cut from his high school basketball team has long been part of his personal narrative, but like a teenaged Jordan dangling from his chin-up bar to grow taller, the truth has been somewhat stretched. Jordan was never actually "cut" from the team – he tried out for the Laney High School (N.C.) varsity as a sophomore and wound up on the junior varsity instead.
A big reason for this was that Laney was in dire need of taller players, so they passed on the 5'10" Jordan in favor of his 6'7" friend Leroy Smith. What is true is that Jordan used this perceived slight as motivation to work hard to improve, leading to impressive results when a growth spurt shot him up to 6'3" as a junior.
Partnership with Nike: A Game-Changer
Jordan's longtime professional association with Nike nearly didn’t happen. He initially wanted to wear Adidas after entering the NBA and was also heavily pursued by a much smaller brand called Spot-Bilt. However, Nike threw out the full-court press to sign the Chicago Bulls rookie, offering a then-outrageous deal of $500,000 per year for five years and the chance to create a sneaker to his liking.
Jordan still desired to go with Adidas and went back to them one more time, but they were in no position to match the offer from Nike. This led to a collaboration that turned out to be a marketing success; Nike launched the Air Jordans in May 1985, generating over $100 million in revenue by the end of the year!
Education: A Degree in Cultural Geography
Although he left the University of North Carolina a year early to pursue his professional career, Jordan received his degree in cultural geography in 1986. This might raise the question: what does one do in that field? As Jordan explained in a Q&A session at his basketball camp many years later, cultural geography is an introduction to meteorology.
If Jordan’s preferred career choice of dunking over seven-footers didn’t pan out, then his backup plan was to become a weatherman! This gives a whole new meaning to the name "Air Jordan."
Golf: An Avid Enthusiast
Jordan's passion for golf began in the summer of 1984 when he first ventured to a course with a group that included future golf pro Davis Love III. He parred one of the holes that day, leading him to believe he could par all 18 with a little more practice. His quest for perfection resulted in him squeezing in as many rounds as possible in his downtime.
This love for golf even led Jordan to famously snub President George H.W. Bush's invitation to the White House with the rest of the NBA champion Chicago Bulls in 1991. He later held the Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitational Pro-Am Golf Tournament in Las Vegas from 2001 to 2014.
Baseball: A Tribute to His Father
Jordan's surprising decision to leave basketball for a baseball career in 1993 was rooted in his father's influence. His dad, James, had always loved baseball and suggested that Jordan could follow in the footsteps of two-sport athletes like Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders. After James was tragically killed in a carjacking incident in July 1993, Jordan picked up a glove to honor his father's wishes.
While he struggled in his lone season of minor league baseball, many were impressed by how well he adjusted to a game he hadn’t played since high school. His manager that year, Terry Francona, believed that Jordan could have succeeded in the big leagues if he had continued.
Gambling: A Known Hobby
Another well-known aspect of Jordan's life is his love for gambling. Reports abound of how he encouraged teammates to bet on almost every activity, from golf to card games. However, his desire to constantly up the stakes occasionally left him in precarious situations.
In 1992, Jordan was subpoenaed to testify about a $57,000 check he gave to a suspected drug dealer after a weekend of poker and golf. The following year, he was the subject of a book titled Michael and Me: Our Gambling Addiction...My Cry for Help! Although he never faced gambling-related punishment, rumors persisted that his year off to play baseball stemmed from a secret suspension imposed by NBA Commissioner David Stern.
Financial Success: Over $1 Billion from Nike
For all he accomplished in professional basketball, including six championships and five MVP awards, Jordan was the league's highest-paid player in just two of his 15 NBA seasons. Fortunately, endorsement deals with brands like Coca-Cola, Gatorade, and Hanes helped him maintain financial stability.
However, his relationship with Nike has proven to be the most profitable; in 2020, it was revealed that Jordan made more than $1 billion from Nike! He also benefited from the appreciation of NBA franchises after purchasing a majority share of the NBA's Charlotte Bobcats (now Hornets) in 2010. Long considered basketball royalty, Jordan has cracked Forbes’ list of the world’s billionaires in 2015.
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