Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan was one of five children born to James and Delores Jordan. He was born February 17, 1963 in Brooklyn. His parents felt that the streets of Brooklyn were unsafe to raise a young family. So instead of raising him there, the Jordan family moved to Wilmington, North Carolina. Michael’s father got a job in Wilmington as a mechanic and his mother Delores got a job as a teller at United Carolina Bank.

Michael always had an eye for baseball. He played as an outfielder and as a pitcher. When he was twelve, he was the top player in his league. By the age of fifteen, he wasn't the star in baseball as he once was. He was still very good, but he had lost some of his focus. Later, in his high school career, he dropped baseball to pursue another interest. Soon Michael started playing the game of basketball. When Michael reached the ninth grade, he tried out for the basketball team. Michael's coach, Coach Lynch, cut him, which in turn may have made the best player alive today. Michael then took practicing basketball to another level. He played his brother Larry whenever he could. Michael never expected what would come in the near future.

Michael Jordan went to the University of North Carolina as a basketball recruit. Even though Jordan was six foot five inches he was a man with potential, he still studied very hard in an attempt to get a good education, while competing in sports. Michael wasn't expected to be a star of the Tar Heels, since they had some very good players and a very talented team. By the end of his first season, Jordan, as a freshman, was an everyday starter. Carolina reached the Final Four with the help of Jordan. In the NCAA Championship Michael made a title winning shot from the left baseline. In Michael's sophomore and junior seasons, he was voted College Basketball's Player of the Year. Through Michael's three years at Carolina, he average 17.7 points per game, while maintaining a "B" average.

After a great college career, the Chicago Bulls as the third pick of the 1984-85 season drafted Michael. Michael made a huge impact in the NBA. He made such an impact that he was selected to be an alternate on the Eastern Division all-star squad. With Michael's growing success in the NBA, more and more companies wanted to use the "Air Jordan" name. One of the first companies to use his name was Nike. Nike paid Michael millions, so they could begin a line of shoes known as "Air Jordan's” During the 1987-88 season, Jordan raised his game to another level. The Bulls’ status was also raised to another level with the additions of Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant. Michael was having another great season and this was evidenced when he started on the Eastern Division all-star squad. He then finished the season, leading the Bulls in scoring for 81 games out of the 82 game season. For his efforts, Jordan was selected as the Most Valuable Player and as Defensive Player of the Year.

Throughout the rest of the few years Chicago went on a rampage. They had received the best records in history, and with the help of Michael they went on to win three NBA championships.

Michael Jordan announced after winning his third consecutive NBA championship