michael jordan baseball biography

Day 61 without sports ⚾: Revisiting Michael Jordan's baseball career with fresh eyes

Baseball was Michael Jordan’s first sports love.

At the celebration of life for Kobe and Gianna Bryant in February, Jordan shared a story:

“I remember maybe a couple months ago (Kobe) sends me a text and he said, ‘I'm trying to teach my daughter some moves. And I don't know what I was thinking or what I was working on, but what were you thinking about when you were growing up trying to work on your moves?' I said 'What age?' He says ‘12.’ I said '12, I was trying to play baseball.’ ”

Episode 7 of “The Last Dance” features a segment on Jordan’s brief pro baseball career in 1994 following his retirement from basketball just before the start of the 1993-94 NBA season. 

Privately, Jordan told people he wanted to give baseball a try, and after a three-peat with the Bulls (1991, 1992 and 1993) and the death of his father, James, the time was right, and Jordan joined the Chicago White Sox's Class AA affiliate, the Birmingham Barons.

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“I’m doing something that I choose to do,” Jordan said in a 1994 press conference, “and that’s to follow one of the dreams I had as a kid.” 

So while it was a vanity project, it was also personal. Jordan and his dad shared an appreciation of baseball, and Jordan tells viewers the last conversation he had with his father before he was killed was about whether Michael should give baseball a try.

Jordan and his dad talked about other two-sport pros, such as Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders, and in that context, it’s easy to understand why Jordan shifted his focus to baseball. 

Jordan's friend, Ahmad Rashad, said being away from basketball gave Jordan an opportunity to adjust to life without his dad.

(Interesting aside: Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf also owned the White Sox – he still owns both today – and said he continued to pay Jordan his Bulls salary while on what turned out to be a hiatus and not a full retirement. “He was underpaid for his entire career, and he made a lot of money for a lot of people,” Reinsdorf explained.)

That 1994 season, Jordan had a batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage of .202/.289/.266. He had 88 hits (17 doubles, one triple and three home runs), 51 RBI, 30 stolen bases, 51 walks and 114 strikeouts in 436 at-bats.

The numbers aren’t impressive, but consider it had been 15 years since Jordan played any kind of competitive baseball. His stats aren’t as bad they look.

The decision to play was criticized, especially by Sports Illustrated, which featured Jordan on the cover swinging and missing with the headline, “Bag it, Michael! Jordan and The White Sox Are Embarrassing Baseball.”

The inside headline accompanying the story written by Steve Wulf wasn’t any more flattering: "ERR JORDAN – TRY AS HE MIGHT, MICHAEL JORDAN HAS FOUND BASEBALL BEYOND HIS GRASP.”

Jordan vowed to never speak to Sports Illustrated again, and by all accounts, it’s a grudge he kept. He said no one from “SI” – once a great publication – ever interviewed him for the story and he felt betrayed.  

His manager in Birmingham? Terry Francona, who carved out 10 years in the big leagues as a player and toiled as a manager in the minors before moving to the big leagues and eventually becoming a manager who guided the Boston Red Sox to two World Series championships. 

“After I met him, I quickly realized how much he respected what we were doing," said Francona, now the Cleveland Indians' manager. “With 1,500 at-bats, he would’ve found a way to get to the major leagues.”

Jordan, like many players who couldn’t reach the next level in baseball, struggled with breaking balls. But he worked at it.  

“His work ethic was the best I’ve ever been around,” then-Barons coach Mike Barnett, who is now on Francona’s staff, said. “He would come in after regular batting practice, hit some more before the game and then would hit again after the game. … He kept getting better and better.”

Jordan had a 13-game hitting streak early in the season, struggled through the middle and started to find his swing late in the season, hitting .260 in the final month.

Don’t forget Jordan played in the 1994 Arizona Fall League and hit .252 in 120 at-bats. He also developed a friendship with Derek Jeter.

Jordan also endeared himself to his teammates. While a difficult teammate as the best basketball player in the world for the Bulls, he was, as a struggling minor-league baseball player, a consummate and humble teammate.

“For the last nine years, I lived in a situation where I had the world at my feet. Now I'm just another minor leaguer in the clubhouse here trying to make it to the major leagues,” Jordan told The New York Times. 

It was rumored Jordan bought a bus for the Barons to travel from Southern League city to Southern League city, but in Roland Lazenby’s expansive and impressive book, “Michael Jordan: The Life,” that’s not true. The bus company upgraded the bus after Jordan looked into helping the team get a better ride. 

(Lazenby’s book also noted Jordan was working out with White Sox players, including Frank Thomas, the fall before he joined the Barons. He also worked with prominent hitting coach Walk Hriniak).

But still, Jordan ingratiated himself. He played basketball, Yahtzee, table tennis and card games with his teammates and coaches and helped catcher Rogelio Nunez learn English, giving him $100 for every new word he learned, according to Lazenby's book and an ESPN story. 

Francona maintains that Jordan's baseball career rejuvenated his competitive fire, leading to his NBA return.

Baseball was a cathartic experience for Jordan, and years later, hindsight reveals it wasn’t the failure many presumed at the time.

Video of the day

Check out Jordan at the 1994 Arizona Fall League with Terry Francona mic'd up.

Video of the day, part two

OK, we cannot let this spectacular Julius Erving layup on May 11, 1980, go without mention. It is one of the most incredible, graceful shots in NBA history. 

What to Watch

Baseball : You want to see a pitcher in command of his pitches? Check out this Max Scherzer game on MLB Network (3 p.m. ET) as the Nationals pitcher strikes out 20 batters against his former team, the Detroit Tigers.

Basketball : If you’ve missed recent “The Last Dance” episodes, ESPN2 has episodes 5, 6, 7 and 8, starting at 7 p.m.

Want some scoring with your NBA playoff games? This Portland-Phoenix game from the 1992 Western Conference semifinals has you covered  – Blazers over the Suns 153-151 in double overtime (NBA TV, 6 p.m.).

Football : San Diego Chargers 41, Miami Dolphins 38 in a 1981 AFC divisional playoff game (5:30 p.m., NFL Network). Go watch Dan Fouts and Don Strock chuck the football all over the field.

May 11 in sports history

1919: Walter Johnson of the Senators and Jack Quinn each pitched 12 scoreless innings. The game was called because of darkness.

1923: Cy Williams hit three of Philadelphia’s 10 home runs in a 20-14 victory over St. Louis. 

1928: Walter Hagen won his third of four British Open championships, beating Gene Sarazen by two strokes.

1963: Dodgers great Sandy Koufax threw his second no-hitter in an 8-0 victory over the San Francisco Giants. No hits for Felipe Alou or Willie Mays. Losing pitcher: Juan Marichal.

1980: Pete Rose steals second, third and home in the same inning for the Philadelphia Phillies against his former team, the Cincinnati Reds.

1985: Fifty-six people died and more than 200 injured in a fire at Bradford’s soccer stadium in England.

2001: Toronto's Vince Carter made eight 3-pointers in a half as the Raptors defeated Philadelphia in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.

What we’re missing

NBA and NHL playoff games

Major League Baseball

• Los Angeles Angels at Baltimore Orioles
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• Texas Rangers at Tampa Bay Rays
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• Philadelphia Phillies at Pittsburgh Pirates
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• Washington Nationals at Chicago Cubs
• Cincinnati Reds at Colorado Rockies
• Chicago White Sox at San Francisco Giants
• Toronto Blue Jays at Oakland Athletics
• San Diego Padres at Los Angeles Dodgers
• Boston Red Sox at New York Yankees  

Follow USA TODAY Sports' Jeff Zillgitt on Twitter @JeffZillgitt  

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By: Brian Willett

Published: 11 March, 2022

Why did Michael Jordan switch to baseball?

When was michael jordan's debut in baseball, what were the highlights of jordan's baseball career, when did jordan return to basketball, michael jordan's baseball history.

Although Michael Jordan is best known for his accomplishments as a professional basketball player, many also associate the former Chicago Bull with the sport of baseball.

This is because of his short stint as a member of the minor league Birmingham Barons, an affiliate of the Chicago White Sox.

While Michael Jordan's baseball career was not as successful as his basketball career, it is noteworthy because of Jordan's ability to display a high level of skill in multiple sports and his sudden retirement from his prestigious basketball career.

Michael Jordan was on top of the world in 1993. He had just won his 3rd NBA championship in a row as a member of the Chicago Bulls and his shoe deal with Nike and performance on the court made him an international superstar. But his massive celebrity and media circus surrounding him began to weigh heavily on him.

However, the biggest thing that pushed him towards baseball was the death of his father in a robbery on July 23, 1993. When Jordan was a young boy, he shared a deep love of baseball with his father James.

So, in tribute to his father, he decided to retire from basketball and sign a minor league with the Chicago White Sox. The decision of basketball's star switching sports entirely was incredibly shocking at the time.

Michael Jordan played his first game for the Birmingham Barons on April 8, 1994. Despite the notoriety, Jordan's baseball career did not get off to a good start, going 0 for 3 at the plate, and the Barons lost 10-3.

However, according to Sports Illustrated, the impact on the team was immediate. Jordan's fame fueled uncharacteristically high attendance numbers and minor league baseball highlights found a prominent place on ESPN.

Although his baseball career wasn't incredibly successful. He did have his fair share of milestones and highlights as a member of the White Sox minor league system.

• March 4th, 1994: Jordan makes his debut as a member of the White Sox roster in Spring Training
• April 7th, 1994: Jordan plays in his first MLB game; an exhibition at Wrigley Field against the Cubs. He went 1 for 3 with an RBI
• April 8th, 1994: Jordan makes his debut as a member of the AA Birmingham Barons
• July 30th, 1994: Jordan hits his first career home run. The first of three he would hit over his minor league career
• October 6th, 1994: Jordan makes his Arizona Fall League debut going 4 for 5 with two RBI's.

What were Jordan's baseball Season Statistics

In 127 games for the Birmingham Barons, Jordan had 88 hits in 436 at-bats, earning a batting average of .202. Jordan finished the season with three home runs and 51 RBI. Jordan scored 46 runs and stole 30 bases in his only season playing baseball.

After his relatively unsuccessful season playing baseball and after the 1994 baseball strike, Jordan decided to return to the NBA. Jordan issued a press release on March 18, 1995, that stated simply, "I'm back," and returned to the Chicago Bulls the next day. Jordan would don his baseball number 45, and would make his return against the Pacers. He would score 19 points after his hiatus and would go on to lead the Bulls to an Eastern Conference Semifinals appearance. The Bulls would lose to the Orlando Magic in six games to end their season

• Baseball Reference: Michael Jordan

Brian Willett began writing in 2005. He has been published in the "Buffalo News," the "Daytona Times" and "Natural Muscle Magazine." Willett also writes for Bloginity.com and Bodybuilding.com. He is an American Council on Exercise-certified personal trainer and earned a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from the University of North Carolina.

• World Biography

Michael Jordan Biography

Born: February 17, 1963 Brooklyn, New York African American basketball player

Basketball superstar Michael Jordan is one of the most successful, popular, and wealthy athletes in college, Olympic, and professional sports history.

Michael Jordan was born on February 17, 1963, in Brooklyn, New York, one of James and Deloris Jordan's five children. The family moved to Wilmington, North Carolina, when Michael was very young. His father worked as a General Electric plant supervisor, and his mother worked at a bank. His father taught him to work hard and not to be tempted by street life. His mother taught him to sew, clean, and do laundry. Jordan loved sports but failed to make his high school basketball team as a sophomore. He continued to practice and made the team the next year. After high school he accepted a basketball scholarship to the University of North Carolina, where he played under head coach Dean Smith.

In Jordan's first season at North Carolina he was named Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Rookie of the Year for 1982. The team won the ACC championship, and Jordan made the clutch jump shot that beat Georgetown University for the championship of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Jordan led the ACC in scoring as a sophomore and as a junior. The Sporting News named him college player of the year for both years. He left North Carolina after his junior year and was selected by the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association (NBA) as the third pick of the 1984 draft. Before joining the Bulls, Jordan was a member of the Summer 1984 United States Olympic basketball team that won the gold medal in Los Angeles, California.

Early pro years

When Jordan was drafted by the Chicago Bulls they were a losing team, drawing only around six thousand fans to home games. Jordan quickly turned that around. His style of play and fierce spirit of competition reminded sportswriters and fans of Julius Erving (1950–), who had been a superstar player during the 1970s. Jordan's incredible leaping ability and hang time thrilled fans in arenas around the league. In his first season he was named to the All-Star team and was later honored as the league's Rookie of the Year.

By adding such players as Scottie Pippen, Bill Cartwright, Horace Grant, and John Paxson around Jordan, the Bulls' management created a strong team that won the 1991 NBA title by defeating the Los Angeles Lakers. The next year, the Bulls repeated as NBA champions by beating the Portland Trail Blazers. In 1992 Jordan also played on the "Dream Team," which participated in the Summer Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain. The Olympic Committee had voted to lift the ban on professional athletes participating in the games. The team easily won the gold medal, winning their eight games by an average margin of 43.7 points.

Unexpected retirement

In 1993, after a tough playoff series with the New York Knicks, the Bulls met the Phoenix Suns for the NBA championship. When it was over, Jordan was again playoff MVP, and Chicago had won a third straight title. That summer Jordan's father, James, was murdered by two men during a robbery attempt. Jordan was grief stricken, and his father's death, combined with media reports about his gambling, led him to announce his retirement from professional basketball in October. Jordan had won three straight NBA titles, three regular season MVP awards, three playoff MVP titles, seven consecutive scoring titles, and he was a member of the All-Star team every year that he was in the league. In just nine seasons he had become the Bulls all-time leading scorer.

In 1994–95 Jordan played for the Birmingham Barons, a minor league baseball team in the Chicago White Sox system. Although the seventeen-month experiment showed that he was not a major league baseball player, the experience and time away from basketball provided a much-needed rest and opportunity to regain his love of basketball.

Return to glory

When Jordan returned to the Chicago Bulls during the 1994–95 regular season, people wondered, "Could he do it again?" He played well, but he was obviously rusty. The Bulls were defeated in the playoffs by the Orlando Magic. After a summer of playing basketball during breaks from filming the live-action cartoon movie Space Jam, Jordan returned with a fierce determination to prove that he had the ability to get back on top. The 1995–96 Bulls finished the regular season 72–10, an NBA record for most wins in a season, and Jordan, with his shooting rhythm back, earned his eighth scoring title. He also became the tenth NBA player to score 25,000 career points and second fastest after Chamberlain to reach that mark. The Bulls went on to win their fourth NBA championship, overpowering the Seattle Supersonics in six games. Few who watched will ever forget how Jordan sank to his knees, head bent over the winning ball, in a moment of bittersweet victory and deep sadness. The game had been played on Father's Day, three years after his father's murder.

The defending champions had a tougher time during the 1996–97 season but entered the playoffs as expected. Sheer determination took the Bulls to their fifth NBA championship. Illness, injury, and at times a lack of concentration hurt the team. In the fifth game of the finals Jordan carried the team to victory despite suffering from a stomach virus. In the 1997–98 season the Bulls were again in the playoffs, and again they faced tough competition. As before, they were able to clinch the NBA championship, and Jordan claimed his sixth NBA finals MVP award.

Jordan's other professional life as a businessman was never off track. Profitable endorsements (ads in which he voiced his support for certain products) for companies such as Nike and Wheaties, as well as his own golf company and products such as Michael Jordan cologne (which reportedly sold 1.5 million bottles in its first two months), made Jordan a multimillionaire. In 1997 he was ranked the world's highest paid athlete, with a $30 million contract—the largest one-year salary in sports history—and approximately $40 million a year in endorsement fees.

Retired again

Jordan retired for a second time in 1999, ending his career on a high note just after the official end of a labor dispute between NBA players and team owners. Many people saw him as the greatest basketball player ever, and his retirement was called the end of an era. In 2000 Jordan became part-owner and president of basketball operations of the Washington Wizards. This made him only the third African American owner in the NBA. He also gained an ownership stake in the Washington Capitals hockey team. Also in 2000, Jordan celebrated the first year of his $1 million grant program to help teachers make a difference in their schools.

In September 2001, after months of rumors, Jordan announced that he was ending his three-year retirement to play for the Wizards at age thirty-eight. At a news conference to discuss his comeback, he said, "Physically, I know I'm not twenty-five years old, but I feel I can play the game of basketball on the highest level." The Wizards, who had won only nineteen games the season before, improved with the addition of Jordan. After being voted to play in his thirteenth All-Star game (during which he missed a slam dunk), Jordan had the Wizards in the race for the playoffs until suffering a knee injury and missing the last part of the season. He was also distracted in January 2002 when his wife Juanita, whom he married in 1989, filed for divorce. (They have three children.) The next month the divorce was called off. Jordan said he planned to play one more season for the Wizards.

For More Information

Greene, Bob. Hang Time. New York: Doubleday, 1992.

Gutman, Bill. Michael Jordan: A Biography. New York: Pocket Books, 1991.

Halberstam, David. Playing for Keeps: Michael Jordan and the World He Made. New York: Random House, 1999.

Jordan, Michael. For the Love of the Game: My Story. New York: Crown Publishers, 1998.

Naughton, Jim. Taking to the Air: The Rise of Michael Jordan. New York: Warner Books, 1992.

Smith, Sam. The Jordan Rules. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1992.

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Chicago Baseball

25 years ago, michael jordan embarked on his baseball career, jordan reported to white sox spring training in sarasota to pursue his baseball dreams, by james neveau • published february 15, 2019 • updated on february 15, 2019 at 12:40 pm, what to know.

• Michael Jordan retired from basketball in Oct. 1993, and launched his baseball career several months later in Florida
• Jordan wanted to get into baseball to fulfill a promise he made to his father James Jordan, who was murdered in 1993
• Jordan ultimately made it to the Double-A Birmingham Barons, but never reached the big leagues before returning to the NBA

Basketball legend Michael Jordan shocked the world when he gave up the sport to pursue a career in baseball, and while some may have dismissed the possibility, he showed up in Florida at Chicago White Sox spring training in February of 1994. 

2/15/94: Michael Jordan Reports to Florida

It may have seemed like fantasy, but on this date Michael Jordan’s baseball dreams were played out in living color, as he took the field at the White Sox complex in Sarasota, Florida for his first workout with the club.

In an interview before a grandstand packed with media, Jordan said that he refused to be a “sideshow” and that he was willing to ride the buses in the minor leagues, so long as they were “luxury buses.”

2/16/94: Fans Offer Predictions on Jordan’s Baseball Future

Cubs sign catcher Curt Casali to minor league deal

Garrett Crochet dazzles in first career start, but White Sox bats are cold on Opening Day

The question on everyone’s mind was a simple one: can MJ become a pro baseball player? His fans and even fortune-tellers were widely divided on the issue, as our Mark Suppelsa found out.

Michael Jordan was ALWAYS the center of attention in camp, as Mark Giangreco discovered when he stopped to sign autographs.

2/17/94: Michael Jordan Serenaded for His Birthday

Michael Jordan spent his 31 st birthday at spring training with the White Sox, but fans made sure to pay tribute to him, and Mark Giangreco was there.

Despite all the hoopla of his first public practice, which packed the Sarasota home of the White Sox, Jordan described himself as a “rookie,” and that he didn’t want to take any shortcuts to MLB stardom.

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Michael JORDAN

Michael Jordan is considered by most experts to be the greatest basketball player of all-time. He played collegiately at the University of North Carolina, where he helped that team win an NCAA championship in 1982 and also won gold at the Pan American Games in the same year. In 1984, Jordan led the United States to an Olympic gold medal. Turning to professional basketball after his junior year in college, he became the greatest player in the NBA (National Basketball Association). In 1991, Jordan finally achieved his greatest thrill, leading the Chicago Bulls to an NBA Championship, and completing his Triple Crown of titles – NCAA, NBA, and Olympic. Jordan eventually led the Bulls to six NBA titles (1991-1993, 1996-1998). In 1992, Jordan also played on the Dream Team which won the basketball gold medal at Barcelona. He could also have played in 1996 but chose not to do so. Jordan retired briefly at the beginning of the 1993-94 NBA season, taking a short fling at playing minor league baseball, but returned to basketball at the end of the 1995 season. He retired again after helping the Chicago Bulls win their sixth NBA title in the spring of 1998. However, Jordan came out of retirement to play for the Washington Wizards in the 2001-03 NBA seasons.

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Michael Jordan Baseball Career

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After spring training with the White Sox in Sarasota, Fla in February and March, he was assigned to the Double-A Birmingham Barons to begin the season. Jordan hit  three home runs and drove in only 202 runs in 127 Southern League games, but he scored 46 runs, stole 30 bases and drove in 51 runs. To continue improving his hitting ability, Jordan signed  to play  in the Arizona Fall League, where he lost to the Scottsdale Scorpions. Like many hitters, Jordan struggled, especially with his curveballs.  Oddly enough, Jordan had played for the White Sox at least once before; By Spring Training in 1991,  he had made several cuts with the team.  Michael Jordan’s rookie baseball card from the 1991 Upper Deck collection may be a symbol of  their short-lived marriage.  Michael Jordan, who announced his retirement from the NBA in October 1993, signed a minor league  contract with the Chicago White Sox in January 1994.   

When will Michael Jordan play basketball, will he hit the ball? 

 When the 1994 players’ strike ended prematurely and eliminated the fall playoffs and World Series, Jordan decided to call it a day in the spring of 1995; This was part of the concern that he would be forced to play the MLB role as a  player.  Jordan announced his return to the NBA just days after announcing his retirement from baseball. He made his debut on March 18, 1995 against the Indiana Pacers.  Jordan announced his return to the NBA just days after announcing his retirement from baseball. He made his debut on March 18, 1995 against the Indiana Pacers.   Legally speaking, Jordan’s return to the NBA is easy because Jerry Reinsdorf, who managed the Chicago Bulls and  White Sox, protected Jordan’s baseball contract despite the star’s decision to earn diamonds.  Of course, it was a good decision for Reinsdorf because Air Jordans helped the Bulls win three NBA championships from 1996 to 1998, following  Jordan’s historic  three-year championship run from 1991 to 1993.   Jordan resigned  the following January.   However, Jordan returned to the court for the last time after  two seasons and joined the Washington Wizards in 2001. He plans to stay in Washington until his retirement in April 2003. Today, the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets  are majority owned by Jordan.   

Why did Michael Jordan choose to play  basketball? 

  Michael Jordan, at the peak of his career, surprised everyone when he quit basketball and pursued his dream of becoming a professional Play basketball player on October 6, 1994.   In an interview with Chicago media, Jordan listed two main reasons why he wanted to choose a different career path: the recent death of his father, who loved baseball, and the love  of basketball. It’s not often that a 29-year-old player with minimal injury history leaves the sport in his prime. 9-time All-Star, 7-time leading scorer (averaging over 30.0 points per game per year), 6-time All-Star. He was named to the All-NBA and All-Defensive first teams, two MVP awards,  Defensive Player of the Year, and most importantly, three consecutive NBA championships. Jordan abandoned this desire when he decided to pursue his basketball skills.

Although the news started to emerge a day or two ago, the news is saying that the world’s most famous football players and the best retired players of the current league are coming to  the NBA. The decision Jordan made  was  the most important decision in sports until he started his career. 

  Why did Michael Jordan return to basketball? 

  His return was motivated  by passion for sports and its history rather than selfishness. Jordan’s thirst for excellence didn’t stop with his past accomplishments. Instead, he saw an opportunity to help grow the sport. This was proven in 2001 when he chose to play for the Washington Wizards, as well as play for the team, as a manager and member. ‘s return is a testament not to his prodigious tackle count or contribution, but to Jordan’s long-term impact on the game. The NBA benefited from the return of one of its greatest leaders, and fans saw positive results in the second series.  

 Did Michael Jordan ever play in Major League Baseball?   

Yes, Michael Jordan had a short career as a Major League Baseball (MLB) player. Jordan continued his  baseball career after his initial retirement in 1993, following his desire to join his late father. In 1994, he played with the Birmingham Barons, the White Sox’ Double-A affiliate,  after agreeing to a minor league deal.   Jordan played baseball for only one season  (1994). He’s athletic, but not as athletic as in baseball. In 1995, Jordan returned to the NBA and his basketball career ended. His basketball career is considered a special moment in his sports career.  

According to Jordan, he started his baseball career in memory of his father, James Jordan, who  always wanted to see his son play in Major League Baseball. In the summer of 1993, James was murdered at a resort in North Carolina. 

  Why did Michael Jordan play so little baseball?   

Between 1993 and 1995, Michael Jordan left the NBA and played football in the minor league  as a reminder and consolation after losing his father. Michael Jordan’s father is a basketball fan due to  his semi-basketball background.   It’s worth noting that it really helped that Michael Jordan had a “cup of coffee” with the Birmingham Barons, the minor league team of the Chicago White Sox, the Major League Baseball team owned by NBA Chicago  owner Jay Reinsdorf. Bulls  franchise. 

  What if Michael Jordan didn’t play basketball?

   If Michael Jordan doesn’t play basketball, the sports world will lose one of its most important characters. Jordan’s influence went beyond the court and shaped basketball culture. He could not change the NBA narrative of  the 90s, when the Bulls lost their leadership along with the championship. The worldwide “Air Jordan” phenomenon  and master collaborations are not supposed to happen. Without Jordan, the basketball world will miss not only a legendary player, but also a revolutionary force that took the game to unprecedented heights, weakening the game’s historical and cultural significance.

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Michael Jordan: The Journey of a Basketball Legend

Michael Jordan, often referred to simply as “MJ” or “His Airness,” is a name synonymous with excellence, greatness, and an indomitable competitive spirit. Widely regarded as the greatest basketball player of all time, Jordan’s career is not just the stuff of legend; it’s the embodiment of passion, perseverance, and unparalleled success.

In this comprehensive article, we’ll delve into the remarkable journey of Michael Jordan’s career, from his early days in North Carolina to his multiple retirements and comebacks, leaving an indelible mark on the world of sports.

Early Life and College Days

Michael Jeffrey Jordan was born on February 17, 1963, in Brooklyn, New York. He grew up in Wilmington, North Carolina, in a close-knit family that instilled strong values and work ethic. His father, James Jordan, was a former equipment supervisor and a pivotal figure in Michael’s life.

Jordan attended Emsley A. Laney High School, where he began to showcase his extraordinary athletic talent, excelling in basketball, baseball, and football. However, it was clear that his true passion was basketball. He played on the school’s varsity basketball team and quickly established himself as a standout player. Despite his initial setback of being cut from the varsity team as a sophomore, Jordan’s determination and work ethic only intensified.

Jordan’s college journey began at the University of North Carolina, where he played under Coach Dean Smith. In his freshman year, he hit the game-winning shot in the 1982 NCAA Championship, showcasing his potential. Over three seasons at North Carolina, he honed his skills, earning numerous accolades and averaging 17.7 points per game.

The NBA Draft and Rookie Season

Jordan declared for the 1984 NBA Draft after his junior year at North Carolina, where he was selected by the Chicago Bulls as the third overall pick. It was the beginning of an era that would forever change the landscape of professional basketball.

Jordan made an immediate impact, averaging 28.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game in his rookie season. He was named the NBA Rookie of the Year and selected for the All-Star Game, a preview of the greatness that lay ahead.

The Air Jordan Legacy

In 1984, Nike signed Michael Jordan to a groundbreaking endorsement deal that would ultimately lead to the creation of the iconic Air Jordan brand. The Air Jordan sneakers became a cultural phenomenon, known for their innovative technology and distinctive design. Jordan’s influence on and off the court solidified his status as a global superstar.

NBA Championships, MVPs, and Records

Michael Jordan’s career is synonymous with winning. He led the Chicago Bulls to six NBA championships in the 1990s (1991-1993, 1996-1998) and was named the NBA Finals MVP in each of those championship seasons. His combination of skill, work ethic, and competitive drive was unmatched.

In addition to his championships, Jordan won five regular-season MVP awards, 10 scoring titles, and numerous All-NBA and All-Defensive Team selections. He holds countless NBA records, including highest career scoring average (30.1 points per game) and the most points scored in a single playoff game (63).

Michael Jordan Career Acheivements

• NBA Championships: Michael Jordan won a total of six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls during the 1990s. He secured these titles in the years 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, and 1998.
• NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) Awards: Jordan won the NBA MVP award five times during his career. He received this honor in the seasons 1987-88, 1990-91, 1991-92, 1995-96, and 1997-98.
• NBA Finals MVP Awards: Jordan was named NBA Finals MVP in all six of the championships he won (1991-1993, 1996-1998).
• NBA All-Star Game MVP Awards: Jordan earned two NBA All-Star Game MVP awards in 1988 and 1996.
• NBA Defensive Player of the Year : Jordan was named NBA Defensive Player of the Year in the 1987-88 season.
• NBA Rookie of the Year : In the 1984-85 season, Jordan was named NBA Rookie of the Year.
• NBA Scoring Titles : Jordan led the league in scoring for ten seasons, from 1986-87 through 1992-93 and then again from 1995-96 through 1997-98.
• NBA All-Star Appearances: Jordan was selected to the NBA All-Star Game 14 times during his career.
• NBA All-Defensive First Team Selections: Jordan was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team nine times.
• NBA All-NBA First Team Selections: Jordan was selected to the All-NBA First Team ten times.

These are just a few of the many honors Michael Jordan received during his remarkable career. His impact on the game of basketball and his legacy as a global sports icon extend beyond his on-court achievements.

Retirement and Baseball

In a shocking turn of events, Jordan announced his first retirement from basketball in October 1993, citing a loss of desire to play the game. He transitioned to professional baseball and played for the Birmingham Barons, a Double-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox.

His baseball career, while respectable, did not match the success of his basketball career. In March 1995, Jordan announced his return to the NBA, marking one of the most celebrated comebacks in sports history.

The Second Three-Peat

Jordan’s return to the Bulls in the 1994-95 season was met with great anticipation. His competitive fire still burned brightly, and he led the Bulls to another three consecutive NBA championships from 1996 to 1998. His return solidified his status as one of the most iconic sports figures of all time.

Retirement and the Washington Wizards

After his second retirement from the Bulls, Jordan took an ownership and executive role with the Washington Wizards. However, his passion for the game led to another comeback as a player in January 2001. He played two seasons with the Wizards before retiring for the final time in 2003.

Michael Jordan’s Legacy and Impact

Michael Jordan’s impact on the game of basketball extends far beyond his playing career. His competitiveness, work ethic, and leadership qualities have served as an inspiration to athletes and individuals worldwide. He elevated the global profile of the NBA and helped popularize the sport around the world.

Off the court, Jordan has been involved in numerous business ventures, including ownership stakes in the Charlotte Hornets and a successful line of golf courses. His philanthropic efforts include significant donations to various charitable organizations, including those focused on education and youth development.

The Last Dance: A Documentary Phenomenon

In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, a documentary series titled “The Last Dance” premiered. The series chronicled Jordan’s final season with the Chicago Bulls, offering an in-depth look at his career, competitiveness, and leadership. It rekindled interest in Jordan’s legacy and introduced a new generation of fans to his greatness.

The Final Say – His Airness

Michael Jordan’s career is the stuff of legends. From his humble beginnings in North Carolina to his ascent as a global sports icon, his journey is a testament to the power of talent, hard work, and an unwavering competitive spirit. Jordan’s influence on the game of basketball and popular culture is immeasurable, and his legacy endures through the Air Jordan brand and the countless lives he has inspired.

His impact goes beyond the basketball court, as he continues to serve as a role model for aspiring athletes and individuals striving for excellence in their respective fields. Michael Jordan’s career is a story of triumph, setbacks, comebacks, and an enduring legacy that will forever be etched in the annals of sports history.

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From the archives: The true story behind Michael Jordan's brief-but-promising baseball career

Take a look back at Michael Jordan's baseball season with the Birmingham Barons, a Chicago White Sox minor league affiliate, in 1994. (1:29)

• Senior writer for ESPN.com and ESPN The Magazine
• Around long enough to have written about athletes from Hank Aaron to Ben Zobrist and Super Bowls from VII to XLVI.
• Joined ESPN The Magazine as a founding editor in 1998.
• Also wrote for Time, Sports Illustrated, the Fort Lauderdale News and The Evening Sun in Norwich, NY.

Editor's note: This story on Michael Jordan's brief tenure with the Birmingham Barons was originally published on April 5, 2019. Get all the latest updates for "The Last Dance" her e.

He has made it very exciting tonight. With the Barons leading 5-1, Jordan steps in for the fourth time ... two of his three at-bats were near homers ... he skied deep to left center when he hit the ball to the wall in the fourth, and then in the sixth, Jordan pulled the ball a little bit more and missed by 2 feet ... Fly ball deep to left again, Ratliff going back, back to the warning track, looking up ... IT IS GON-ZO JORDAN! He's done it! -- Curt Bloom, Birmingham Barons play-by-play announcer, July 30, 1994

There was a certain delicious irony to calling it The Michael Jordan Banquet Hall . After all, he started quite a feeding frenzy on the night of April 8, 1994, at the Hoover Met when he made his official professional baseball debut. Wearing No. 45, his old Laney (North Carolina) High number, the 31-year-old émigré from basketball drew a crowd of 10,359, as well as 130 members of the media. They watched him fly out in his first at-bat against Chattanooga starter John Courtright. For the night, and for the record, he went 0-for-3 in a 10-3 loss to the Lookouts. The crowd went home mildly disappointed.

Jordan is long gone from Birmingham, and so are most of the players and coaches who wore the Barons uniform that year. The skipper, Terry Francona, is now in his 20th year of managing in the bigs, with Hall of Fame credentials that include the breaking of the Boston Red Sox 's 86-year curse in 2004, another World Series trophy three years later and another trip to the Fall Classic with his current team, the Indians. Of the players on that '94 roster, 20 were either coming down from, or going up to the majors. Jordan never made it to the bigs, but at least he could console himself with his and the Chicago Bulls' second NBA three-peat.

Nowadays, sports fans look upon his foray into baseball as a whim, and when they look up his numbers and see that he batted .202, they conclude that his baseball career was a bust. Just like that opening night crowd in '94, they walk away from the memory mildly disappointed.

They could not be more wrong.

I could not have been more wrong.

Just ask Curt Bloom, who's still in Birmingham, calling Barons games for the 27th straight season. "Not a day goes by that I don't think about that '94 season," Bloom said. "I spent 150 days with Michael Jordan. I played basketball with him -- I remember trying to set a pick for him in a pickup game, only to have him tell me, 'I don't need that.' Our daughter Chloe will turn 25 this August -- she was born right after Michael rubbed my wife's belly for good luck. I saw him struggle for a few months, but I also saw him become a ballplayer right before my eyes. He worked his butt off, but he enjoyed himself and bonded with the team.

"I swear, he was going to the majors."

And if you don't believe them, ask Tito. "He had it all," Francona said one morning during spring training in Goodyear, Arizona. "Ability, aptitude, work ethic. He was always so respectful of what we were doing and considerate of his teammates. Granted, he had a lot to learn. I remember once, we're up 11-0 against Chattanooga, and Michael doubles. Then he steals third! I'm pantomiming an apology to Pat Kelly, the other manager, and he's laughing. After Michael comes in, 'I'm like, 'What are trying to do, get us killed?' And he says, 'Well, in the NBA, when you're up by 20, you try to go up by 30.'

"I do think with another 1,000 at-bats, he would've made it. But there's something else that people miss about that season. Baseball wasn't the only thing he picked up. I truly believe that he rediscovered himself, his joy for competition. We made him want to play basketball again.

"And he made me a better manager."

The standings that year also leave out a lot. They don't tell you that the '94 Barons had a miraculous season.

After all, how many last-place Southern League teams can claim they're responsible for winning two World Series and three NBA titles?

THE NARRATIVE OF Michael Jordan's brush with baseball has never quite jibed with the reality, which is a little surprising given his visibility as the greatest of all time. There was always an inscrutable quality about him -- he was both above the rim and down to earth -- but that doesn't fully explain how we messed up. When he announced his retirement from the Chicago Bulls on Oct. 6, 1993, he was still in mourning over the murder of his 56-year-old father, James Jordan. So when Michael called another news conference on Feb. 7, 1994 to announce his intentions of going to spring training with the White Sox, a team that happened to be owned by Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf, people jumped to all sorts of conclusions. The decision, many felt, was a tribute to his father, who loved baseball and thought his son could follow in the footsteps of two-sport stars Deion Sanders and Bo Jackson. Or, for the suspicious, it was a way to play and lay low while waiting to get clearance from the NBA after a gambling red flag. Or, for the cynical, it was a vanity project that could sell a whole new line of Jordan merchandise.

But baseball is hard, and it was made even harder for Jordan by the winds of skepticism. That spring in Sarasota, as fans flocked to see him in a baseball uniform, trigger-happy judges rendered their verdicts. Seasoned ballplayers, journalists and traditionalists curled their lips. I was one of the doubters. I wrote a cover story for Sports Illustrated (" Err Jordan ") that mocked his swing, questioned the sanity of the White Sox and ended with, "Somewhere men are laughing." The SI editors upped the anti-ante with a cover billing that read, "Bag It, Michael: Jordan And The White Sox Are Embarrassing Baseball."

The only saving grace of the story was that it noted that he was working really hard. For most of that spring, his batting tutor was Walt Hriniak, whose hit-to-all-fields philosophy worked well with some, but not all players. Because Jordan hadn't played since he quit baseball two games into his senior year of high school, the lessons were a little like Einstein teaching a sixth-grade student arithmetic.

On March 31, Jordan was assigned to Double-A Birmingham, a pretty heady stop given his inexperience. They started lining up right away -- Barons fans wanting to buy tickets, reporters wanting a word with Tito. But the season was still a week away, so Mike Barnett went to work. "Walt was a great batting coach," Barnett said now, at the Indians' spring complex. "But his school of hitting wasn't quite right for Michael. He was standing way off the plate and diving into the pitch. I moved him closer to the plate and got him to stride forward into the ball and use his hips and those long arms of his. I figured the pitchers were going to challenge him to hit their fastballs."

Jordan also got a quick lesson in minor league life from Francona. "He wanted to know if we flew between cities. I had to tell him that we rode buses. Birmingham to Orlando? 12 hours."

Jordan did get one last look at the big leagues in the April 7 Windy City Classic between the White Sox and the Cubs at Wrigley Field. The batting lessons seemed to be paying off: he went 2-for-5 as the crosstown rivals played to a 4-4, 10-inning tie.

He went hitless in his first two official games, but got two hits against Knoxville in his third. By the end of the opening six-game homestand, he was batting .250. He had also been working behind the scenes with the Thrasher Brothers transportation company to get the Barons an upgrade from the old Trailways bus they had used the previous year. Said Francona: "Michael had asked me, 'What if I get us a bus?' I don't want to get fired, so I got permission, and the next day, four new buses showed up in our parking lot. The first one must've been a bus for a rock group -- really nice for Michael and me and the coaches, but no room for the other players. We ended up choosing a really nice bus that could've been for The Partridge Family. Michael autographed the outside, and the Jordancruiser was born."

On that first road trip, Jordan took off like a spaceship. He went on a 13-game hitting streak that left him with a .327 batting average. He looked like GOAT 2.0. But, as Barnett said: "It was bound to end. I kept waiting for the pitchers to stop challenging him with fastballs and start throwing him breaking balls, and by the end of April, they were."

"It didn't sell at all," Patton said during a telephone call from Italy, where he's working on a book about sex trafficking. "A lot of the reviewers were like. 'It's no good because Patton didn't have access,' but that was sort of the point. Anyway, I did get one rave review. [The reviewer] called it 'smart, funny and totally ignored.'"

In the book, the reader meets the Barons' dog mascot, Babe Ruff, and hears "Sirius" by the Alan Parsons Project, the Bulls' theme song and Jordan's walk-up music. Patton's description of the time Jordan lost his bejeweled necklace in right field, necessitating a search party every half-inning, is a study in irony, ending with its discovery and "the biggest ovation of the night."

Although Jordan refused to sit down with him, Patton was there when he gave a revealing postgame news conference in Orlando the night after the Bulls were eliminated from the playoffs. Asked how he was fitting in, given the age difference between himself and his teammates, he said, "I feel older than these guys in a sense, like their big brother, and I try to tell 'em what's right and wrong in certain situations, like dealing with the press. In other ways, I feel like their little brother: they're teaching me to play the game of baseball. In terms of who I hang out with, I hang out with everybody."

It's immeasurable and overlooked, but the ability to get along is an essential tool in baseball, especially given the long and arduous schedule. And Jordan had that knack. "He was great with everyone," said Coleman, who's now a senior executive with the Southern Company utility. "We had this pingpong table in the clubhouse, and the best player was Rogelio Nunez, our Dominican catcher. He and Jordan would go at it all the time, but almost every day, Michael would give him a different English word to learn -- and $100 for each word he did. By the end of the season, Nunie's English was much better, he was richer, and Jordan was beating him in pingpong.

Jordan also hung out with the coaches a lot. There was the age factor, of course, and the shared life experiences, but there was also Yahtzee, the dice game that Francona taught him back on the first road trip. "We played it all the time," Francona said. "This still makes me laugh. One night, he's in the office after a game in which we got only four hits, and I look at the box score while we're playing Yahtzee and see that he had two of them. I say, 'Michael, you were half our offense tonight.' And without missing a beat, he says, "Not the first time in my life that's happened.'"

Jordan would occasionally deign to play hoops with the mortals. "I can safely tell you this now," Francona said, "but if I told you back in '94, I might've gotten fired.

"We had just come back to Birmingham after a Sunday morning game in Huntsville [a 5-4 win on May 22, in which Michael went 0-for-5]. We decide to play a 4-on-4 game at Rime Village, where a lot of the players stayed. The three coaches plus Michael versus four of our better basketball players."

Scott Tedder, a 6-foot-4 outfielder who was the all-time leading scorer as a shooting guard at Ohio Wesleyan, was one of the players. "Let's see," he said from his office at Hibbet Sports in Birmingham, where he's a real estate manager. "It was me, our catcher Chris Tremie, outfielder Kevin Coughlin and pitcher Brian Givens, who was like 6-6. The game was to 16, win by two. One point for a basket, two points for a three."

"Nobody was watching us at the start of the game," Barnett said, "but by the end, there were hundreds of people ringing the court."

"This was back in the day before cellphones," Tedder said. "Word traveled fast."

"Me and Barney were just along for the ride," said Kirk Champion, who was the pitching coach and still works in the White Sox organization. "Once you gave the ball to either Tito or Michael, you weren't going to see it again."

"Scott was a really good shooter," Barnett said.

"I hit maybe four 3s," said Tedder, who's now in the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame. "But you could tell Michael was holding back. When we get up 15-11 -- one more basket to win -- Michael says to me, kind of matter-of-fact, 'Kid, you're not going to score any more.' The next thing we know, we've lost, 17-15, and the coaches are celebrating."

That oh-fer earlier that day had dropped Michael's average to .221. His batting average for May was just .165. While he couldn't hit curveballs, he did get a chance to hit golf balls with two of the best and one of the worst. The day after his average dropped below the Mendoza Line (.200) for the first time, Jordan played in a charity tournament in Birmingham along with Lee Trevino, Arnold Palmer and Barkley. Later that night, Barkley and Bills linebacker (and Birmingham native) Cornelius Bennett enlivened the Barons' clubhouse after a 4-1 defeat.

Looking back 25 years, Barnett sees the challenge for Jordan as twofold. "Before you can hit breaking balls, you have to recognize them, and that takes time and experience," he said. "But even then, after you have the epiphany, you have to learn how to act on it, how to pounce on the hangers. He was getting to that stage."

As best as they could, the coaches tried to keep Jordan's spirits up. They pointed out that every aspect of his game was getting better. Said Barnett, "On a scale of 20 to 80, his throwing arm went from 20 in spring training to 50 by August." But there was no doubt that he was getting down on himself, especially after his average dropped to .186 on July 29.

That's why that first home run was so important. It came on Saturday, July 30 on his 354th at bat of the season, in front of the Barons' largest crowd (13,751) since the Hoover Met opened in 1988. With the Barons leading the Carolina Mudcats 5-1 in the bottom of the eighth, Jordan hit a 2-0 fastball from Kevin Rychel over the left-center field fence. He slowly circled the bases and then was mobbed at home plate as he pointed skyward, mindful that he had just given his father, born on July 31, an early 58th birthday present. "It still makes me emotional because I wish he was here to see it," Jordan told reporters afterward. "But I know he saw it."

"What a moment," Bloom said. "It still gives me chills. Yes, I'd been hoping I could use my ' Gonzo' home run call for Michael before the end of the season, but I was mostly happy for him because I know how hard he had worked to earn it."

The first two Barons to congratulate Jordan were the batters coming up behind him in the order, Troy Fryman and Kenny Coleman. "I'm the little one," Coleman said. "Number 25. It was like watching history. It felt like a scene from "The Natural." I kept expecting the light tower to explode."

For the record, the ball was retrieved from beyond the fence by two young fans, Eugene Stancil and Nick Parker, who returned it to Jordan in exchange for two autographed baseballs.

Two autographed baseballs are also what Knoxville Smokies pitcher Jeff Ware got the day after he gave up Jordan's second homer on August 8, a three-run blast that helped the Barons to an 8-6 victory at the Hoover Met. As Ware described it for Rob Neyer in his oral history of the season for Complex two years ago, "I talked to Jordan the next day in the outfield. ... He was great, seemed like just another guy on the baseball team. I got two baseballs signed, which I still have."

Jordan hit his third home run on August 20, a solo shot off Glen Cullop in the seventh inning of a blowout 12-4 win over the Chattanooga Lookouts at the Hoove. He was hitting .195 at the time, but closed out the season with one three-hit game and a pair of two-hit games that raised his average above .200. In his last official game, a 4-2 win at Huntsville on September 3, Jordan went 0-for-4 to finish at .202.

That's not bad for someone who hadn't played organized baseball since his senior year of high school. Then, in the Arizona Fall League, against even better competition, he hit .255. "He was on his way, I thought," Barnett said. (Barnett certainly was -- he would later become the hitting coach for the Toronto Blue Jays , Kansas City Royals and Houston Astros .)

More important, he had fallen in love with baseball. "I know how he felt," said Tedder, who was once one of the top salespeople in the country for Jordan apparel. "In basketball, you're in a hurry to get out of there. In baseball, you hang around and make friends for life."

There was just one problem, though. Jordan didn't want any part of the MLB work stoppage. So, in March 1995, when there was no end in sight to the strike, he announced he was returning to the NBA. The White Sox lost a fifth outfielder. The Bulls gained three more titles.

Through an intermediary, Jordan politely declined to be interviewed for this story or respond to a few questions. One of them was about his affection for baseball. But his answer comes through loud and clear in "For The Love of The Game: My Story," which he wrote with the assistance of sportswriter Mark Vancil in 1998. Here's Jordan on his season with the Barons:

How would I describe my baseball experience? I would describe it now the same way I described it then. Every moment was a warm one. I remember looking up in the sky from time to time and being amazed at how much my life had changed. I had no fear. Just a warm feeling. I can't describe the sense exactly, but now it seems like I was living a dream.

Would he have made the majors? Jim Patton is still skeptical. "Yes, his hitting was improving," the author said. "But he was 31 and running out of time. Maybe Francona and Barnett have a sentimental thing there. I just don't see it."

One thing is certain. That summer did Jordan a world of good. "It was like a spiritual retreat," said Vancil, now the managing partner of Williams Inference, a business intelligence concern. "It was a chance to turn down the volume and go back to a place where he was a 19-year-old kid again. He came back to basketball a different player."

Twenty-five years and five titles later, Michael and Tito still stay in touch. "We meant a lot to each other," Francona said. "Managing him was the best learning experience I've ever had. I loved that season. He showed us grit and courage and grace under pressure. And in return, we made him feel young again."

Gonzo Jordan. He's done it.

Michael Jordan's Life Before He Became an NBA Star

A career as a professional basketball player wasn't always Jordan's destiny, though a few key factors propelled him to become the "greatest basketball player of all time."

Jordan's stable home life remained consistent even after his immediate family moved to the city of Wilmington in the late 1960s, with parents James and Deloris establishing high academic standards and firm ground rules to keep their five children out of trouble.

It was James, a maintenance worker turned supervisor at General Electric, who introduced Jordan to his first athletic love, baseball and built a basketball court in the backyard (and also reportedly inspired Jordan's notorious tongue wag with his own facial contortions).

However, companions recall Deloris, a bank teller, as the more forceful presence of his parents. Her strong will would later be reflected in her son's renowned drive to succeed.

His rivalry with his brother fueled Jordan's desire to be the better player

If the backyard court provided the canvas for Jordan to develop his basketball genius, then it was the presence of its other regular occupant that unleashed the beast of his competitive spirit. Larry Jordan was a year older, and while Michael was already taller, Larry was stronger, equally athletic and not inclined to lose to his younger brother.

The two went full steam at each other on the court every day until bedtime, with Deloris stepping in to calm the boys when things grew too heated.

A determined Jordan eventually figured out how to win on a regular basis and his continuing growth widened the gap between them, but it wasn't clear who the superior athlete was before he reached that point.

Noted their high school basketball coach, Pop Herring, "Larry was so driven and so competitive an athlete that if he had been 6'2" instead of 5'7", I'm sure Michael would have been known as Larry's brother instead of Larry always being known as Michael's brother."

Jordan didn't initially make his high school varsity basketball team

Jordan has often rehashed the popular legend that he was cut from the Laney High School varsity basketball team as a sophomore, inspiring him to work harder and get better, but that's not exactly how things went down.

All basketball hopefuls tried out for coach Herring in the fall of 1978, and Jordan, along with the rest of the promising underclassmen, were assigned to the junior varsity team, with the lone exception of his friend, classmate and rival, Leroy Smith.

It's difficult to argue with the reasoning: The team was returning 14 of 15 players from the previous year, and most – like the then-5'9" Jordan – played one of the smaller guard positions. With the Buccaneers in need of a tree to block shots and rebound, it made perfect sense to select the 6'7" Smith for the final roster spot.

Along with providing a jolt of motivation, the decision helped Jordan develop into a floor leader with regular playing time, and the Laney JV games soon became the hot ticket in town.

Furthermore, Coach Herring showed he had Jordan's best interests at heart by personally running him through drills every day as a junior. The hard work – and a fortuitous growth spurt – turning the gangly teenager into the Laney varsity alpha dog.

He was a standout at basketball camp

If there was a time when the legend of Michael Jordan took root, when teammates and onlookers began to grasp that they were witnessing a talent for the ages, it was during the summer of 1980.

Invited to the annual camp run by the University of North Carolina head basketball coach Dean Smith, a showcase for the state's top players, the Wilmington boy quickly distinguished himself from the pack. UNC assistant coach Roy Williams was stunned by Jordan's combination of athleticism, quickness, intensity, and instincts.

After a day of practice, he told fellow assistant Eddie Fogler, "I think I've just seen the best 6'4" high school player I've ever seen."

Williams then made the rookie mistake of arranging for Jordan to attend the Five-Star Camp outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Although this one featured blue-chip basketball prospects from around the country, as opposed to the smaller pool in North Carolina, the 17-year-old Jordan again treated the competition like a punching bag, transforming him into a must-have college recruit.

Fortunately for the Carolina brass, James and Deloris Jordan had taken to Williams and the paternal Dean Smith, influencing their son's decision to commit to UNC.

READ MORE: How Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird Led the Dream Team to Olympic Gold

Jordan did not receive special treatment at UNC, which kept him humble

After a senior season in which Laney narrowly missed out on a division title and its best player averaged a triple-double, Jordan continued to soar with a record 30 points in the McDonald's All-American Game.

However, he soon experienced a welcome return to earth with his immersion in Dean Smith's program at UNC. The even-keeled Smith forged team unity by treating his stars and benchwarmers equally, and Jordan was happy to let his effort do the talking in the highly regimented practices.

"[Smith] was the perfect guy for me," Jordan later said. "He kept me humble, but he challenged me."

As it turned out, they were perfect for each other: When Jordan coolly sank a go-ahead jump shot with 15 seconds left in the 1982 NCAA title game against Georgetown University, he gave Coach Smith his first NCAA championship.

And with that first major, televised triumph, Jordan was officially on the map as a young American sports star, ready for the next steps in a career that would carry him to unprecedented heights of success and fame.

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