Tag: Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan, former NBA great, played with Chicago Bulls for the majority of his career. He is widely regarded as the greatest player to ever play the game of basketball by players as well as fans. He was drafted #3 by the Chicago Bulls, which was already on a decline in 1984. Jordan revived the team from years of downfall, bringing them their first-ever championship in 1991 after acquiring Scottie Pippen.

He played the shooting guard position and was named league MVP five times in his career. Michael Jodan is one of the only 3 players to win the MVP and Defensive Player of the Year award in the same season. He has won several scoring titles, all-defensive teams, and all-NBA teams. In Jordan’s leadership, the Chicago Bulls 3-peated twice and set a record by winning 72 games in 1996 regular season only to be broken by Golden State Warriors 20 years later.

Jordan came to be known as ‘His Airness’ and Micahel ‘Air’ Jordan for his classic jump shot. It is also the logo for Jordan’s shoes, a fan favorite. He inspired a generation of players to wear #23 on their jerseys. He has won the All-star MVP, NBA Slam Dunk Competition, NBA Rookie of the Year. There isn’t an award that he didn’t win, however, his journey was not as pretty as it looks. Michael Jordan lost his father in 1993 which led to his first retirement. He played baseball for 18 months before returning to the Chicago Bulls. Scottie Pippen assumed the leadership role but the Bulls were short-handed with the basketball Jesus. When he returned in 1995, he chose to wear #45 on his jersey but changed it back to #23 which is synonymous to Jordan.

Due to sour relationship with the front office especially the Chicago Bulls GM Jerry Krause, Jordan departed after ‘One Last Dance’ in 1998 winning them their final ring. After his second retirement, Jordan joined the Washington Wizards front office. Despite his on-court excellence, he was not made for front office negotiations. Wizards sent him back on the court, but he didn’t have much luck there either. Finally, in 2003 the Hall of Famer retired for good and his jersey was retired by Chicago Bullas and Miami Heat.

Michael Jordan Net Worth

According to Forbes, Michael Jordan’s net worth is estimated to be $2.1 billion, making him the richest professional athlete in the world. Michael Jordan was severely underpaid playing for the Chicago Bulls. However, he made more than enough in the Air Jordan shoe deal with Nike. His annual take is close to $130 million making it the richest shoe deal in the NBA. In addition, the majority stake in the Charlotte Hornets contributes significantly to Michael Jordan’s net worth.

Michael Jordan Charity and Foundations

Michael Jordan was never the one to stand back from anything on the court. This attitude prevailed off the court as well. The list of his philanthropic activities both personal and on behalf of his team, the Charlotte Hornets is never-ending.

He has donated to several relief funds for Hurricane Florence and provided care packages. Not only did he donate $2 million dollars to the American Red Cross and the Foundation for the Carolinas’ Hurricane Florence Response fund but he met with the people affected in his hometown and involved himself in the groundwork instead of writing empty cheques. In addition, he donated his 2001-02 NBA salary to 9/11 related charities.

Jordan serves as the Make-A-Wish Chief Wish Ambassador, granting hundreds of wishes in his 30 years of working with the organization. He has made considerable donations to the Museum of African American History and Culture to help preserve the culture of the community he comes from. In the wake of the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement he has pledged $100 million over the years for the betterment of the black community in America

Michael founded and supports the “Jordan Institute for Families” aims t cultivate safe, stable, and nurturing families in North Carolina and beyond.

Michael Jordan Endorsements

As does any prominent athlete, Michael Jordan too has a signature shoe line with Nike. The Air Jordans have been a fan favorite ever since the 90s and people line up in front of the stores for them even now. NBA’s young stars like Zion Williamson and Jason Tatum represent the Air Jordan. Michael Jordan’s Nike shoes bear the Air Jordan logo and evolved into a brand in itself. The Jordan Brand.

Michael Jordan has endorsement deals with companies like Gatorade, Hanes, and Upper Deck. In addition, he owns multiple restaurant chains and car dealerships.

“Be like Mike” was the staple line to endorse anything back in the 90s. However, Jordan was extremely selective about his endorsements and the kind of message it reflects. In an interview with Playboy magazine, Michael Jordan passed on a $1 million deal because the brand was called Beanie Weenies. He said,

“How can I stand in front of a camera and say I’ll eat Beanie Weenies? If I wanted to be a hard-nosed businessman, I could have been in a lot of deals, like the one with Johnson Products”.

Michael Jordan believed in endorsing brands he actually used and believed in.

Michael Jordan Statistics and Achievements

Regular Season Statistics

Playoff Statistics

Michael Jordan: The Last Dance

The Last Dance docuseries covers the 1998 championship of the Chicago Bulls with players giving their own account of several incidents that happened in the process of winning their final ring. This series primarily focused on Michael Jordan’s journey in the NBA since 1984, when he was drafted by the Chicago Bulls.

It explored the fall of a dynasty that the Chicago Bulls originally were. The lack of coordination between the front office, especially Jerry Krause and the players and coaching staff was the primary reason behind Jordan and Phil Jackson’s departure. This series also gave us the reason behind Michael Jordan’s multiple retirements and what he went through after his father’s death.

While the docuseries was hailed by the fans and garnered millions of views, several players criticized it by saying it was a one-sided account of what actually happened.

Michael Jordan: The Dream Team

The 1992 United States Men’s Olympic basketball team, well known as ‘The Dream Team’ was an ensemble of possibly the greatest team in basketball history. The roster included Chicago Bulls’ Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, John Stockton, and Karl Malone from Utah Jazz and NBA greats like Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and Patrick Ewing.

The Dream Team involved its fair share of controversy. As described in Michael Jordan’s The Last Dance documentary, Detroit Pistons were the ‘bad boys’ of the NBA. An exceptional player like Isiah Thomas was not selected in the 1992 dream team. When asked about it, Isiah Thomas held Jordan responsible for being left out from an opportunity to represent his country. However, Jordan rebuffed these allegations stating he was not the only one who had a problem with Zeke. The decision was taken in favor of the team and Thomas just didn’t fit the requirements.

How can you contact Michael Jordan

Twitter– @Jumpman23 

Instagram– michaeljordan