Michael Jordan

Name: Michael Jeffrey Jordan

Nicknames: MJ, Mike, Jordan, Air Jordan, and His Airness

Born: February 17, 1963

Birth Place: Brooklyn, New York

Height: 6 ft. 6 in.

#s: 23, 45, and *12 (12 because jersey was stolen)

High School: Emsley A. Laney in North Carolina

College: North Carolina Tar Heels Years: 1981-1984

NBA Draft: 1984 / Round 1 / Picked 3rd overall by Chicago Bulls

Career: Chicago Bulls 1984-1993 1995-1998 Washington Wizards 2001-2003

Majority Owner and Chairman of Charlotte Hornets

Michael Jordan wore the number 23 since high school, his brother and him both wanted to wear the number 45. Since only one person was able to wear the number, Jordan decided on the number 23 because to him it was half of 45. Jordan wore the number 23 through college and 90% of his NBA career. Once, Michael Jordan was forced to wear the number 12 because someone went into the locker room and stole his regular number 23 jersey. Jordan also wore the number 45 after his first retirement. He chose to wear the number because his father had passed away and he had only seen him play in the number 23. He wanted a different number for that reason, but he did not feel as lucky in the number 45 so he switched back to 23.

Jordan averaged about 20 points per game his Junior year of high school. He also was selected to the McDonald's All-American team after averaging a triple double: 29.2 points, 11.6 rebounds, and 10.1 assists

Jordan was recruited by numerous college basketball programs, including  Duke, North Carolina, South Carolina, Syracuse, and Virginia. In 1981 he accepted a basketball scholarship to North Carolina. As a freshman he was named the ACC Freshman of the Year. Michael Jordan averaged 13.4 points per game (53.4% shooting). He also made the game winning jump shot in the 1982 NCAA Championship game against Georgetown. Future NBA rival and friend Patrick Ewing was on that Georgetown team. During his 3 seasons at North Carolina Michael Jordan averaged 17.7 points per game and 5.0 rebounds. After winning the Naismith and the Wooden College Player of the Year awards in 1984, he left North Carolina a year before his scheduled graduation to enter the 1984 NBA draft

College achievements

NCAA National Championship - University of North Carolina: 1981-82
3x Atlantic Coast Conference regular season champions: 1981–82, 1982–83, 1983–84 (undefeated)
1982 ACC Tournament champions
ACC Rookie of the Year: 1982
Naismith College Player of the Year: 1984
John R. Wooden Award: 1984
Adolph Rupp Trophy: 1984
USBWA College Player of the Year: 1984
ACC Athlete of the Year: 1984
ACC Men's Basketball Player of the Year: 1984
2x The Sporting News College Player of the Year: 1983, 1984
2x Consensus First Team All-American: 1983, 1984

NBA achievements

Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2009
6-time NBA champion: 1991-93, 1996-98 (all with Chicago Bulls)
6 NBA Finals appearances: 1991-93, 1996-98
5-time NBA Most Valuable Player: 1988, 1991, 1992, 1996, 1998
10-time scoring champion: 1987-93, 1996–98
3-time steals leader: 1988, 1990, 1993
3-time minutes leader: 1987-89
14-time NBA All-Star: 1985-93, 1996–98, 2002-03
3-time NBA All-Star Game MVP: 1988, 1996, 1998
6-time NBA Finals Most Valuable Player: 1991-93, 1996-98
1-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year: 1987-88
2-time IBM Award winner: 1985, 1989
11-time All-NBA selection:
First Team: 1987-93, 1996-98
Second Team: 1985
9-time All-Defensive selection:
First Team: 1988-93, 1996-98
NBA All-Rookie selection:
First Team: 1985
NBA Rookie of the Year: 1985
2-time NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion: 1987, 1988 

 Runner-up in 1985
7-time The Sporting News Most Valuable Player: 1987-88, 1988–89, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98
The Sporting News Rookie of the Year: 1985
Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year: 1991

United States National Team

2x Olympic gold medals: 1984, 1992
Pan American Games gold medal: 1983
3x USA Basketball male athlete of the year: 1983, 1984 (with Sam Perkins), 1992 (as a part of the 1992 Olympic Team)