Biography of Basketball Star Michael Jordan

July 22, 1999 a legend was born, but this isn’t the story about him. This story is about another legend named Michael Jordan. Jordan was the 4th out of 5 children. He was born with a nosebleed which made the doctors think he wouldn’t make it. Lucky he did. At the age of 5 he started helping his family around the house, by chopping wood. Being hard headed and not following directions he was cutting the wood without shoes on and chopped his big toe. His family stayed in a small village, where if one family owned a TV, 10 other families would gather to watch it. As a teenager, Jordan played baseball, basketball, football, and ran track. His sophomore year he was cut from the basketball team. Which changed his attitude and made him work harder. His senior year of Laney High School he received an invitation to the Five Star Basketball camp. Fall 1981 he earned a scholarship to attend UNC. Jordan made the game winning shot in the NCAA championship game. Following this he awarded college player of the year. Just a few years later in 1984 he was invited to play with the United States Olympic team, where he and his team won gold medals.

Jordan was the 3rd pick in the 1984 NBA draft. His first year in the NBA he led a selfish, ball hogging team full of drug abusers to the playoffs. After doing this he was named the Rookie of The year. No athlete was paid much as Jordan. Let along he was still a rookie. In the first year Nike sold 130 million dollars’ worth of Jordan’s. He made the NBA Rookie team and was a NBA All-Star starter.

The Jordan rule was created on Easter Sunday in 1988. When Jordan scored 59 points in the victory over the Detroit Pistons. All the players had to know where he was when he was on the court. When he got the ball he was to be doubled teamed. Cleveland coach ignored that rule every time they played the bulls, which is why Jordan averaged 45 points against them. Also scoring 69 points on them one game. Dave Corzine a onetime Bulls center said ‘its hard being on a team with Michael Jordan, because you are always the reason the team lost.’ People on the team started to grow a ‘let Michael do it” attitude. Bulls and pistons met two years in a row in the Eastern Conference. The 88-89 Pistons were the best defensive team of that era. Which made Jordan work harder. By 1990 the Bulls were considered one of the elite squads. Sport writer’s critizing him by saying he shoots and scores to much. From Jordan’s point of view, he needed that much for his team to win. Cliff Levington said ‘MAN, he hates to lose.’ Jordan was part of the “Dream Team’ in the summer 1992.

His father died that following year. After this incident he retired from basketball to follow his dreams in becoming a baseball player. Jordan returned to Chicago on April 7th. Over 35’000 fans showed up to see him play. He wasn’t a started for this game, but when the manager heard how many people came to watch. He allowed him to start this game. A batting ratting of 2for5 with two RBIs in this game. Which he only played baseball for one year before returning back to the NBA. In 1996, Jordan created a boys and girl club to honor his father. Jordan returned back to the NBA in the 2001. Not as a Chicago Bull but as a Washington Wizard. He donated his entire salary for that year, to help the victims of 9-11. His final game in 2003, when he retired for the final time after scoring a total of 32,292 points. Which made him the 3rd highest scorer of all time in the NBA. At the age of forty, Jordan won the MVP award five times. Averaging 31.5 ppg (points per game). A career record in the NBA. The bulls retired #23 as a tribute. Jordan has made millions of dollars from commercials with: Hanes, Mci, Chevrolet, Gatorade, and McDonalds. With the money he made charitable contributions to his hometown. He donated large amounts of money to the Special Olympics and the UNCF.

I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I cant accept not trying” is my favorite quote that Michael Jordan said. February of 1984 is when Jordan first signed with Nike. This was in the mist of his rookie year. His first shoe was the “Air Jordan I,” which is also known as the Retro 1s. The NBA banned the original shoes for not meeting the requirements. Jordan still wore them anyway and faced a 5,000 dollar fine per game that he wore them. This shoe was the only one in the series to have the Nike check. The ” Air Jordan III“ is the first sneaker to have the “Jump-Man” logo. He put elephant print overlays on the shoe. Spike Lee the movie director gave it some TV spots on his film “She’s Gotta Have it.“ Jordan averaged 35 ppg when wearing these shoes. 4th straight All-Star game. Earned MVP and a second straight slam dunk contest.

When he glided from the free throw line. These shoes were first retried in The “Air Jordan IX ” are not the best looking shoes, but I like them because they are also cleats. This was the first shoes that Jordan released after retirement. They may be goof for baseball, but their dangerous on the court. You can easily roll your ankle in them. These shoes are extremely easy to find in any shoe store for 90 -110 dollars. Which is how much the baseball cleats cost. Jordan worked with Tinker Hatfield, a legendary shoe designer. These are the lightest Jordan’s out. The huge jump man on the side makes it eye popping. The cheetah print at the bottom makes you step differently knowing someone is always watching. Jordan along with other basketball greats starred in Space Jams.

This movie first aired in Where Jordan and Looney Tunes joined forces and made an AWESOME movie. Bugs Bunny challenged a group of space creatures. They tricked him and swiped every NBA player talent. Luckily Jordan wasn’t in the NBA when this happened. The make concept first began as a commercial. Jordan and Bugs bunny faced off for the “Hare Jordan “. This movie launched a sound track“ I Believe I Can Fly ” which is used and still sung by people today. The warner brother, who still are in the movie making industry. Made an extremely large amount of money for this movie. 230 million dollars worldwide. This movie is the highest grossing basketball film of all time. It topped the movie “White Men Can’t Jump.”

On his 50th birthday he earned an appearance on the cover of Sports Illustrated for the 50th time. Jordan is the owner of the Bobcats (NBA team). He moved into a brand new 11 bedroom mansion in Jupiter, Florida which cost 12.4 million dollars. Tiger Woods, a great golfer is one of his neighbors in that area. Paid 3.2 million in 2010 for two top floor penthouse in Charlotte. It’s only two blocks away from where his team plays. “ he golfs, he skis, goes to resorts, smokes cigars and looks beautiful” according to Taylor. While playing golf at the Tony LaGorca Country Club in Miami. Wearing stylish cargo shorts, which was a violation of the club rules that requires Bermuda shorts. The club asked him to change and he denied. They allowed him to finish but told him he was not able to return back there. Since he cant dazzle anyone on the court anymore he doesn’t get the free pass he once did. Jordan is 54 years old as of right now. With a net worth of 1.4 billion dollars. Jordan is living a lavish lifestyle. To this day Jordan is still earning money by being an Entrepreneur.