Michael Jordan
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Here, Jordan dunks the ball during a 1995
NBA playoff game against the Orlando Magic.
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Jordan,
Michael (1963- ), American professional basketball player, a
leading scorer in the National Basketball Association (NBA), who led the Chicago Bulls to
four NBA championships (1991-1993, 1996). He is regarded by many as the greatest player in
NBA history.
Jordan was born in Brooklyn,
New York, and raised in Wilmington, North Carolina. He accepted a basketball scholarship
from the University of North Carolina and as a freshman scored the winning basket in the
1982 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championship game. Jordan was
selected college player of the year for the 1983-1984 season, and in 1984 he led the
United States basketball team to a gold medal at the Olympic Games in Los
Angeles.
Jordan left college in 1984 to
play with the Bulls. He finished his first season (1984-1985) as one of the top scorers in
the league, with an average of 28.2 points per game. He was also named rookie of the year
and made the first of his nine All-Star game appearances (1985, 1987-1993, 1996). Jordan
finished the 1986-1987 season as the second player, after Wilt Chamberlain,
to score more than 3000 points in a single season. He led the NBA in scoring for seven
consecutive seasons (1987-1993), tying Chamberlain's record, and averaged more than 30
points per game in each season. He also became the Bulls' all-time leading scorer and set
numerous scoring records, including most points in a playoff game (63 points against the
Boston Celtics in 1986); and highest scoring average for an NBA championship series (41
points per game in the 1993 NBA finals). He led the Chicago Bulls to their first NBA
championship title in 1991; with Jordan, the Bulls won again in 1992 and 1993. In addition
to his three league Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards (1988, 1991, 1992), Jordan won the
All-Star game MVP award twice (1988, 1996) and a record three-consecutive NBA championship
series MVP awards (1991-1993). Jordan was also a member of the United States Olympic
basketball team, known as the Dream Team, that captured the gold medal at the 1992
Olympics in Barcelona, Spain.
Stating that he had lost his
desire to play professional basketball, Jordan announced his retirement prior to the
1993-1994 season. Initially noted for his scoring, his tenacious defensive play had made
him one of the greatest all-around basketball players in NBA history. He had also become a
worldwide celebrity due to his success in the NBA and the Olympics, and his numerous
commercial endorsements.
Early in 1994 Jordan returned
to professional sports, this time as a baseball player. He signed a minor league contract with the
Chicago White Sox of the American League (AL), reported to spring training, and was
assigned to the team's minor league system. That summer he batted .202 with the Birmingham
Barons, a class AA affiliate of the White Sox. Later in the year he batted .252 with the
Scottsdale Scorpions in the Arizona Fall League. Jordan ended his retirement from
professional basketball by rejoining the Bulls near the end of the 1994-1995 NBA regular
season. In the 1995-1996 season he enjoyed another great year, leading the NBA in scoring
with 30.4 points per game and being named league MVP. The Bulls also became the first NBA
team to win 70 games in a season, finishing with 72 victories, and they went on to win the
NBA championship title. Jordan was named MVP of the NBA finals, becoming the first player
to earn the honor four times.
