Michael Jordan

By Tom Kirvan

In basketball circles, he is still known as “His Airness,” even though he has been retired as a player for more than two decades.

Yet, NBA legend Michael Jordan will be forever known as a high-flyer on the court, defying would-be defenders – and gravity – with a series of trademark moves that cemented his status as perhaps the greatest basketball player of all-time.

Born February 17, 1963 in Brooklyn, N.Y., Jordan “personified greatness on the court, and redefined superstar athlete off it,” according to the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass.

His career began to rocket as a freshman at University of North Carolina when he hit the game-winning shot in the 1982 NCAA title game against Georgetown. He earned All-American honors during his sophomore and junior years before entering the NBA Draft, where he was selected third by the Chicago Bulls.

Michael Jordan*

Over the course of his career with the Bulls, he led Chicago to six NBA titles, collecting Most Valuable Player awards as freely as if he was a hungry kid in a candy store.

“The court was his, and the world soon followed,” according to the Hall of Fame. “His unmistakable style – the wagging tongue, the baggy shorts, the signature line of sneakers – helped make the 14-time All-Star the most recognizable person on the planet.”

His alliance with Nike – and assorted other corporate partners such as Hanes and Gatorade – made him a billionaire, as did his ownership stakes in the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets and a NASCAR team. With his wealth, Jordan has become a noted philanthropist, donating millions to Make-A-Wish America and various other charities.

“I can accept failure,” Jordan once said. “Everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.”

In the prime of his basketball career, Jordan opted to give professional baseball a try, spending two years in the Chicago White Sox system attempting to make the grade. He didn’t, but his lack of success on the baseball diamond didn’t deter him from winning three more NBA titles, earning Finals MVP honors each time.

“Heart is what separates the good from the great,” said Jordan. “I know fear is an obstacle for some people, but it is an illusion to me. Failure always made me try harder the next time.”

*Steve Lipofsky Basketballphoto.com, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons