Michael Jordan!!! His life and legacy

His Life Michael Jordan, the best known athlete in the world, is a leading scorer in the National Basketball Association (NBA), who led the Chicago Bulls to many recent NBA championships. 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 NCAA championship game against the Hoyas of Georgetown. Jordan was selected college player of the year for the 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 ( ) 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. Jordan finished the 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 ( ), 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 In addition to his three league Most Valuable Player 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 ( ). 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.

His Life Stating that he had lost his desire to play professional basketball, Jordan announced his retirement prior to the 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 NBA regular season. In the 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.

Michael’s Quick Stats Name: Michael Jeffrey Jordan Date of Birth: February 17, 1963 Place of Birth: Brooklyn, NY Marital Status: Married Height:6'6" Weight: 195 Eyes: Brown Hair: None

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Michael’s Personal Facts Joined the Washington Wizards as President of Basketball Operations on 1/19/00 and resigned that position on 9/25/01 to sign a player contract with the Wizards Selected Kwame Brown with the top overall pick in the 2001 NBA Draft An advocate for The Boys and Girls Clubs of America; in association with the Chicago Bulls, built the James R. Jordan Boys and Girls Club & Family Life Center in memory of his father Established the Jordan Family Institute at the University of North Carolina Member of the board of America's Promise and has been involved with the United Negro College Fund, Make-A- Wish Foundation, and the Special Olympics Partners with several corporations and has a line of JORDAN athletic shoes and apparel for Nike, and the widely successful Jordan-brand (line of colognes) by Bijan Involved in several restaurant ventures and serves on the corporate boards of Oakley and Divine InterVentures Signed as a non-drafted free agent by the Chicago White Sox organization on 2/7/94 Assigned to the White Sox AA affiliate Birmingham Barons, where he played the outfield (threw and batted right) Always wore his University of North Carolina shorts under his Bulls uniform for good luck Starred in the movie "Space Jam" and hosted "Saturday Night Live" on 9/28/91 Received his B.A. from the University of North Carolina in 1986 He and his wife Juanita, have two sons, Jeffrey and Marcus, and a daughter, Jasmine

Career Highlights Five-time NBA Most Valuable Player ( , , , , ) Ten-time All-NBA First Team selection ( to , to ) Selected in 1996 as one of the "50 Greatest Players in NBA History" A member of six Chicago Bulls NBA championship teams ( , , , , and ) Six-time NBA Finals Most Valuable Player The NBA Defensive Player of the Year and record nine-time NBA All-Defensive First Team selection ( to , to ) Entering , ranked first in NBA history in scoring average (31.0 ppg), second in steals (2,391), fourth in points (30,652) and in field-goals made (11,513), fifth in free-throws made (7,061), sixth in field-goals attempted (23,010) and eighth in free-throws attempted (8,448) Closed the season as the Bulls' all-time franchise leader in points, rebounds (5,836), assists (5,012), steals, games (930), field-goals made and attempted and free-throws made and attempted (8,115) Holds the NBA record for most seasons leading the league in scoring (10) Shares the NBA record with Wilt Chamberlain for most consecutive seasons leading the league in scoring (seven, to ) Holds the NBA record for most consecutive games scoring in double-digits (842) Holds the NBA record for most seasons leading the league in field-goals made (10) and attempted (10) Led the NBA in steals in (3.16 spg), (2.77 spg) and (2.83 spg) Holds the NBA single-game records for most free-throws made in one half (20 against the Miami Heat on 12/30/92) and most most free-throws attempted in one half (23 in the same game) Shares the NBA single-game records for most free-throws made in one quarter (14 against the Utah Jazz on 11/15/89 and against the Miami Heat on 12/30/92) and most free-throws attempted in one quarter (23 against the Miami Heat on 12/30/92)

Career Highlights Holds the NBA Finals record for highest single-series scoring average (41.0 ppg in 1993) Entering the season, ranks as the all-time NBA Finals leader in three-pointers made (42), second in three-point attempts (114), third in points (1,176), fourth in steals (62), fifth in field-goals made (438), sixth in assists (209) and free-throws made (258), seventh in field-goals attempted (911) and eighth in free-throws attempted (320) Holds the NBA Playoffs record for highest career scoring average (33.4 ppg) Established an NBA Playoffs record with 63 points against the Boston Celtics on 5/20/86 Entering the season ranks as the all-time NBA Playoffs leader in field-goals attempted (4,497), free- throws made (1,463) and attempted (1,766), second in steals (376) and field-goals made (2,188), fifth in assists (1,022), seventh in three-point attempts (446) and ninth in three-pointers made (148) Recorded two playoff career triple-doubles, both against the New York Knicks (5/9/89 and 6/2/93) Participated in 13 NBA All-Star Games (1985, , , ), starting 13 times, and missed another due to injury Named the MVP of the 1988, 1996 and 1998 NBA All-Star Games All-time NBA All-Star Game leader in steals (35) and ranks second in field-goal attempts (206), third in points (242), fourth in scoring average (20.2 ppg), and eighth in assists (52) Notched the first triple-double in All-Star Game history, with 14 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists, in the 1997 NBA All-Star Game in Cleveland Won the Slam Dunk Contest in 1987 and 1988, also participating in 1985 Notched his 28th career triple-double, with 30 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists, against the Toronto Raptors on 4/14/97 Returned from retirement against the Indiana Pacers on 3/19/95 and posted 19 points, six rebounds, six assists and three steals in 43 minutes