Michael Jordan - Biography, Achievements and Quotes

Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963), also known by his initials, MJ, is an American former professional basketball player, entrepreneur, and majority owner and chairman of the Charlotte Bobcats. His biography on the National Basketball Association (NBA) website states, "By acclamation, Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time." Jordan was one of the most effectively marketed athletes of his generation and was considered instrumental in popularizing the NBA around the world in the 1980s and 1990s.
After a three-season career at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he was a member of the Tar Heels' national championship team in 1982, Jordan joined the NBA's Chicago Bulls in 1984. He quickly emerged as a league star, entertaining crowds with his prolific scoring. His leaping ability, illustrated by performing slam dunks from the free throw line in slam dunk contests, earned him the nicknames "Air Jordan" and "His Airness".
He also gained a reputation for being one of the best defensive players in basketball. In 1991, he won his first NBA championship with the Bulls, and followed that achievement with titles in 1992 and 1993, securing a "three-peat". Although Jordan abruptly retired from basketball at the beginning of the 1993–94 NBA season to pursue a career in baseball, he rejoined the Bulls in 1995 and led them to three additional championships (1996, 1997, and 1998) as well as an NBA-record 72 regular-season wins in the 1995–96 NBA season. Jordan retired for a second time in 1999, but returned for two more NBA seasons from 2001 to 2003 as a member of the Washington Wizards.
Jordan's individual accolades and accomplishments include five MVP awards, ten All-NBA First Team designations, nine All-Defensive First Team honors, fourteen NBA All-Star Game appearances, three All-Star Game MVP awards, ten scoring titles, three steals titles, six NBA Finals MVP awards, and the 1988 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award.
He holds the NBA records for highest career regular season scoring average (30.12 points per game) and highest career playoff scoring average (33.45 points per game). In 1999, he was named the greatest North American athlete of the 20th century by ESPN, and was second to Babe Ruth on the Associated Press's list of athletes of the century. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009.
Jordan is also noted for his product endorsements. He fueled the success of Nike's Air Jordan sneakers, which were introduced in 1985 and remain popular today. Jordan also starred in the 1996 feature film Space Jam as himself. He is the majority owner and head of basketball operations for the NBA's Charlotte Bobcats, having won a bidding war to buy controlling interest in the team from founding owner Robert L. Johnson.

Achievements & Facts about Michael Jordan

• Michael Jordan was 3rd pick in 1984 NBA draft.
• Although it’s hard to believe now, Michael Jordan was unlikely champion. He didn’t make the team in high school until he was junior year.
• Jordan left college after his junior year to join the NBA. Drafted by the Chicago Bulls, he soon proved himself on the court. 
• He helped the team make it to the playoffs and scored an average of 28.2 points per game that season. For his efforts, Jordan received the NBA Rookie of the Year Award and was selected for the All-Star Game.
• In 1985, he finished his bachelor's degree in geography and continued to play basketball professionally. While his second season was marred by injury, Jordan was breaking new ground on the court during the 1986-1987 season.
• He became the first player since Wilt Chamberlin to score more than 3,000 points in a single season. The following season, Jordan received his first Most Valuable Player Award from NBA—an honor he would earn four more times in 1991, 1992, 1996, and 1998.
• By the late 1980s, the Chicago Bulls was quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with, and Jordan was an instrumental part of the team's success. The Bulls made it to the Eastern Conference Finals in 1990 and won their first NBA championship the following year by defeating the Los Angeles Lakers.
•  A rising NBA superstar, Jordan became known for his power and agility on the court as well as for his leadership abilities.
• Jordan used to wear number 23 because back in high school he was 45. And also his brother was 45 but before him. So he decided to half that number which is 22 and a half and he went for 23.
• His favourite numbers for a jersey are 11, 3 and 13. If he had to pick one that would be 3.
• He says that no one in his family expected him to be what he is today and that’s what has fueled him to win. He felt that the people that know him the most think he is least likely to succeed and that’s why his inner drive was to prove them wrong.
• He likes control with his involvement (his brand name – business). It’s not as if he says, here’s my name, use it. Jordan runs his corporate empire from his office in Chicago. But he only goes there about 2 days a week.
• Good portion of his time is spent playing golf because, as he says, he’s really really getting addicted to it. Sometimes he plays from sunrise to sunset.
• His father, James Jordan, his first basketball trainer, was robbed and murdered in 1993 when Jordan was 33.
• His parents are his biggest role models of his life because they’ve been hard working, generous and disciplined.
• Michael thinks that he is the most competitive player to ever play the game - (and I think he is right).
• His greatest shot according to him is in 1982 when he played in North Carolina against Georgetown. That shot, as he says, gave him the confidence to play to a different level. His parents said that after that shot he went from Mike Jordan to Michael Jordan.
•  In 1996 he was chosen among the 50 greatest players to ever play the game. God, he is the first one baby. He has also been chosen as one of the most intriguing people of the century in 1997 and one of the 50 most beautiful people in the world.
• One of the most controversial subjects for basketball fans is whether or not Wilt Chamberlain is the greatest basketball player ever. His unbelievable stats are unequaled, but the greater argument against him is that he “only” won 2 championships.
• So, there are many players who arguably rival Chamberlain for the label of greatest basketball player of all time, together with Bill Russell, his lifetime on-court archenemy, who won a mind-numbing 11 championships and often beat up on Chamberlain’s teams in the playoffs. There’s of course the magnificent Kobe Bryant who who has 5 championships and in todays game posted a remarkable Chamberlain-esque 81 points and outscored the NBA finalist Dallas Mavericks 62 to 61 in only 3 quarters of play.
• There is also Mj, who earned six titles and won five NBA regular season and six Championship Finals Most valuable player titles; Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who also won 6 titles and is the NBA’s all-time leading scorer and Earvin “Magic” Johnson, who claimed 5 championships and was more of an all-around player than Chamberlain.
• Another retirement. Really? Michael retired once more in 1999 but couldn’t live without playing basketball. Comeback for a second time! He came back to basketball once more in 2001 by joining another club: “Washington Wizards”. Jordan with the Wizards proved once again that he couldn’t lead a team to an above .500 record without Pippen. 
• Some business involvement Throughout his career Jordan took part in a a small number of businesses. For example, Nike’s Air Jordan sneakers are incredibly renowned across the globe.
• Jordan scored 63 points (his personal record) against the Boston Celtics in 1986.
• He was born in Brooklyn, New York and he is the fourth of five children.
• His Olympic jersey number at Los Angeles and Barcelona was 9.

Some Superb Quotes of Micheal Jordan

• I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed
• I've failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.
• If you accept the expectations of others, especially negative ones, then you never will change the outcome.
• My attitude is that if you push me towards something that you think is a weakness, then I will turn that perceived weakness into a strength.
• I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can't accept not trying.
• To be successful you have to be selfish, or else you never achieve. And once you get to your highest level, then you have to be unselfish. Stay reachable. Stay in touch. Don't isolate.
• Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.
• Obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.
• I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.”
• If you’re trying to achieve, there will be roadblocks. I’ve had them; everybody has had them. But obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.”