Biography of Michael Jordan [Age, Height, Wife, Kids, Family, Salary, Award & Net worth ]

When someone says the words “Basketball Legend,” the first thing that comes to our mind is the one and only, Michael Jordan. (Also known as Mike Jordan.)

Basketball fans and sneaker-heads know him for his hoop skills and his signature sneakers, “Air Jordans.”

Though a page summary of his gaming may be an injustice to his basketball history, Michael is indeed a powerful and dedicated athlete and artist.

Besides being an athlete, Michael Jordan is also a businessman, actor, and an apple of the eye for basketball fans worldwide.

Additionally, this star of the 90s has dedicated an entire decade to basketball, becoming the most decorated player in NBA history.

Throughout his career, Michael has earned loads of honorable rewards. And rightfully so. Those who have experienced his speed and willpower describe him as god’s creation.

Michael globalized the NBA with his incredible moves and is now a part-owner and manager of the NBA’s Charlotte.

Jordan is truly a force to be reckoned with, both on and off the court. He amazed opponents and inspired his teammates to be a better version of themselves.

Let’s have a look at some quick facts about Jordan:

Quick Facts

Full Name	Michael Jeffrey Jordan
Known as	Michael Jordan
Nickname	Michael, Air Jordan
Birth Date	17 February 1963
Birth Place	Brooklyn, New York, United States
Residence	N/A
Religion	Christian
Nationality	American
Ethnicity	African American
Education	Bachelor’s Degree in Geography (The University of North Caroline at Chapel Hill)
Horoscope	N/A
Father’s Name	James Jordan
Mother’s Name	Delores Jordan
Siblings	4 (James Jr, Roslyn, Deloris, and Larry)
Age	59 Years Old
Height	6 feet and 0.6 inches (186 cm)
Weight	98 kg (220 lbs.)
Eye Color	Brown
Hair Color	Dark brown
Body type	Athletic
Profession	Basketball Player
Marital Status	Married
Spouse	Juanita Vanoy (1989-2006), Yvette Prieto (2013-present)
Children	5
Name of Children	Jeffrey, Marcus and Jasmine (Juanita Vanoy), Victoria and Ysabel (Yvette Prieto)
Beginning of Professional Career	1984
Retirement	2003
Playing Style	N/A
Sports team	The Chicago Bulls
Coach	Billy Donovan, Phil Jackson
Honors	Most Valuable Player Award from the NBA- 1988, in – 1991,1992,1996, and 1998 The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame The Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama
Victory	N/A
Net Worth	$1 billion
Prize Money	N/A
Brand	Upper Deck Victory
Manufacture	Upper Deck
League	NBA
Merch	Paperback, Coloring Book
Last Update	September, 2022

Michael Jordan | Early Life

The legendary basketball player was born on 17 February 1963 in Brooklyn, New York, as Michael Jeffrey Jordan.

His father, James, was a General Electric, and his mother, Delores, was a bank teller. Jordan also has four siblings: James Jr, Roslyn, Deloris, and Larry.

Jordan was competitive and determined right from an early age.

Jordan’s first love was baseball. But who would have known that he was fated to be in basketball instead?

His father even made a baseball and basketball court available in their residence’s backyards in Wilmington, North Carolina.

 

Later, in 1981, Jordan joined the University of North Caroline at Chapel Hill. There he completed his bachelor’s degree in geography before playing basketball professionally.

Michael Jordan | Professional Basketball Career

Jordan’s career started after he debuted with the Chicago Bulls in 1984. Meanwhile, Jordan got selected third in a row, but he got up to prove himself on the court.

Additionally, there were legendary players like John Stockton and Charles Barkley on the same draft. Jordan scored an average of 28.2 points in the same season.

Later, he received the NBA Rookie of the Year Award and was selected for the All-Star Game.

Despite the injury, in 1986-87, Jordan recorded more than 3,000 score points in a single season. Jordan made everyone keep an eye on him and keep up with him.

Immediately, in 1990 the Bulls made it to the Eastern Conference Finals. They also won their first-ever NBA Championship. Similarly, in the 1992-93 season, the Chicago Bulls won their second and third NBA championship in a row.

Meanwhile, in 1993, Jordan took a short stint in the minor baseball league and later returned to the basketball court. 

After his comeback, he scored an average of 30.4 points per game in 1995. While in the season of 1996-97, Chicago nearly recorded 69 wins. Also, Jordan sank the winning shot for their sixth NBA title.

In 1999, after his second retirement, Jordan joined the Washington Wizards as a part-owner and basketball team president.

According to reports, the Wizards’ salary was not enough. So later, in 2001, Jordan renounced his ownership and management position as a player. Till then, fans were utterly fascinated by his gameplay.

Olympics

Jordan also joined the Olympic games in 1984 as a member of the U.S. Olympic basketball team in Los Angeles.

Similarly, he was involved in the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain, with his American team. Most importantly, they brought the gold home both times.

Michael Jordan | Marital Life

Jordan has been married twice by now. He married Juanita Vanoy in 1989 and had three children together (Jeffrey, Marcus, and Jasmine). The couple stayed together for about 17 years and divorced in 2006.

Both Jordan and Juanita seem equally supportive and involved in their children’s future despite the divorce.

Later on 27 April 2013, Jordan married Cuban American model Yvette Prieto. They together have two daughters, Victoria and Ysabel.

Lately, Jordan’s sons Jeffrey and Marcus have shown interest in basketball in their college. And they dream of following in their father’s footsteps and making it to the NBA.

Michael Jordan | Retirement

Jordan spent 19 years as a professional basketball player. But he did retire three times; in 1993, 1998, and finally in 2003.

Jordan pursued baseball just after the news about the murder of his father. Jordan explained his father always wanted him to play baseball too. Therefore, he played for a minor league team as an outfielder for the Birmingham Barons.

 

Michael Jordan | Achievements

Subsequently, Jordan ended his career in basketball with 32,292 total points and 30.12 points per game average. His overall score was the best, and 2,514 steals as the second-best league history.

Eventually, Jordan earned his nickname “Air Jordan,” becoming famous as a celebrity in Hollywood.

Additionally, Jordan became The Most Intriguing Person of the Century and one of the 50 Most Beautiful People chosen by People.

Likewise, in 1999, ESPN voted him the greatest athlete of the 20th century.

Awards

Jordan collected his first Most Valuable Player Award from the NBA- 1988, in – 1991,1992,1996, and 1998.

Additionally, Jordan received the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Just before, in 2016, Jordan received the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama.

Michael Jordan | The Last Dance

In summary, Jordan’s career is and will always remain legendary. What better way to highlight his best moments than with a documentary?

“The Last Dance” shows what Michael Jordan’s true legacy is. ESPN first aired this show and later made it available on Netflix.

The documentary takes us back to his Chicago Bulls days. We experience his rivalry, cheers from his faithful fans, his motives to win the game at any cost, all from Michael’s point of view.

Additionally, the documentary shows Michael’s world without women in the foreground, including his first wife.

Michael expressed his joy over fans’ reaction to it. Speaking to Today, Michael said, “I always thought that people would not understand my passion for the game, my passion for winning.”

He was paid $3-4 million for the documentary, but he donated it to charities instead. He is estimated to have received $10 million from “The Last Dance.”

Michael Jordan | Business

After retiring as an athlete, Jordan continued to be involved in numerous profitable business and commercial ventures. Brands were flocking to sign him up for endorsements. After all, you’d recognize that brilliant smile and confidence pose anywhere.

Nike

Nike and Jordan signed their deal in 1984, serving on the Nike Inc. board of directors for the first time. In 1985, Nike launched the signature Air Jordan basketball sneakers by the following year.

Eventually, the brand and name got famous due to Michael’s influence and fan loyalty. 

Air Jordans have remained a best-seller for more than 30 years. They were estimated to get a revenue of $2.9 billion for the Air Jordan line in 2018.

Besides Nike, Jordan made other endorsement deals with famous brands such as Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Chevrolet, Upper Deck, and Hanes.

Film

Further, in 1996, Jorden debuted in the film Space Jam as the star. Jordan pairs with cartoon legends Bugs Bunny and Duffy Duck in the animated movie.

Steakhouse

Michael also launched Michael Jordan’s The Steak House N.Y.C in 1998. The main motive was to reflect Jordan’s tastes and style.

As of 2022, it has 4 locations in Illinois, Connecticut, and Washington. 

 

Later, Jordan also opened restaurants in Chicago at the Mohegan Sun casino and the Ilani Casino Resort.

Charlotte Hornets

Jordan also bought a share of the Charlotte Hornets in 2006. Jordan was associated there as the team’s managing member of basketball operations.

Later, in 2010, he became the team’s majority owner serving as the chairman. 

Golf Charity

From 2001 to 2014, Jordan hosted a charity golf event named Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitational.

Foundations like Make-A-Wish, Cats Care, Keep Memory Alive, the James R.Jordan Foundation, and Opportunity Village received proceedings.

Michael Jordan | Relation with Kobe Bryant

Both Michael and Kobe were the most iconic players during their respective peaks. So, naturally, this brought a lot of comparisons between them.

After all, Kobe had big shoes to fill. The media constantly pitted them against each other and tried to sell rivalry. 

But they never let it get to them. Both these players approached each other with love and respect. Michael called Kobe his “little brother,” and Kobe called Jordan his “big brother.”

Beginning

The zestful beginning of these two players’ friendship is seen in episode 5 of “The Last Dance.”

Kobe was a playful teenager with stars in his eyes every time he approached Michael. 

According to Tim Grover, when Michael joined the NBA in 1996, Kobe waited for Michael to guide him in his moves.

After the Lakers and Bulls match, Kobe waited for Michael outside the tunnel because Michael took too long to come out of the locker room.

Security guards would even get tired of Kobe always waiting on Michael. As soon as Michael stepped off the court, Kobe bombarded him with questions. 

Kobe was hungry to learn from Jordan and never gave up. Like a desperate student, Kobe worked on every lesson that Michael taught him.

And Michael had a lot of affection for Kobe, even considering him his “annoying little brother.” 

On the Demise of Kobe Bryant

Michael was more than a mentor to Kobe. He was also a brother. 

Kobe’s death left many players and fans worldwide devastated. But probably no one more than Michael Jordan.

On 26 January 2020, Kobe was on a chopper with his daughter Gigi and seven others when it crashed.

Michael gave an 11-minute speech full of tears in Kobe’s memorial service. On that note, he recalls his beautiful memories with Kobe.

He mentioned their late-night talks, not only just about games but family, business, and life. They talked about Gigi and discussed how to make her better.

At the end of the ceremony, in front of a handful of athletes, Michael gave sincere condolence to Bryant’s family, including his former teammate Shaquille O’Neal, Lakers General Manager Rob Pelinka, WNBA superstar Diana Taurasi.

Michael Jordan | Net Worth

Michael is one of the wealthiest athletes alive. He made less than $100 million while playing NBA, but he was quickly making bank with his savvy business ways.

A brand endorsement like Nike was quickly adding up to his paycheck. As of 2022, Forbes has estimated his net worth to be $1.6 billion.

Aside from brand endorsements, Jordan has also invested in businesses. He owns sprawling estates, a golf course, an NBA team, restaurants, and a private interest in DraftKings.

 

Frequent Queries (FAQs)

Can Michael Jordan be called Billionaire?

Some years ago, Forbes announced Michael, a Billionaire. Since he earns a lot and has a record of millions of donations, Michael can be called a Billionaire.

What is “The Last Dance”?

The Last Dance is a documentary film of Michael Jordan while being on 1997-98 the Chicago Bulls team. It contains more than 500 hours of footage from his live game.

What was Michael Jordan’s mentality?

Michael was an influential and hardworking athlete. He was dedicated to his career and was a beacon of hope for many young basketball fans. 

Does Michael Jordan like Kobe Bryant?

Michael was a mentor to Kobe Bryant and never shied away from sharing his tips and tricks. During Kobe’s memorial service, Michael was choked up in tears as he gave his speech.