Born: February 17, 1963
Place of Birth: Brooklyn, New York
Major Notes:
Michael Jordan is considered by many as the best player to ever play in the National Basketball Association.
When he was a young child, the family moved to Wilmington, North Carolina, where he eventually became a high school
star in football, baseball, and basketball.
Jordan was one of five children whose father worked in an electric plant and his mother worked in a bank.
In 1978, he tried out for the local high school basketball team but failed to make the team.
Through dedicated training and practise, Michael Jordan was selected for the team the next year.
In 1981, following high school graduation, he accepted a scholarship from the University of North Carolina.
He excelled in college basketball and was named the Player of the Year in 1984.
In that same year, Michael Jordan led the United States to a gold medal in the 1984 Summer Olympics.
He left college and was drafted by the NBA Chicago Bulls becoming a star player in his first professional year.
In the 1984-85 season, Jordan was named Rookie of the Year and was selected to the NBA All-Star team.
Over the next few years, Michael Jordan would go on to become one of the greatest team leaders in basketball.
A prolific scorer, he was awarded the Most Valuable Player in the NBA five times.
He led the Chicago Bulls to six championship titles over an eight year period.
Jordan retired briefly in 1993 to follow a baseball career but returned to the Bulls in 1994.
He retired from the Bulls in 1998 but returned to basketball two year later playing for the Washington Wizards.
Michael Jordan was named the greatest North American athlete of the 20th century by ESPN in 1999.
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