Michael Jordan - Read on for intriguing facts about Michael Jordan, the N.B.A.'s Most Valuable Player.

Michael Jordan's Birthday 2025 – February 17, 2025

Michael Jordan, full name Michael Jeffrey Jordan, nicknamed Air Jordan, was born February 17, 1963, in Brooklyn, New York, United States. He was an American undergraduate and professional basketball player generally regarded as one of the game’s best all-around players. Jordan is a former professional basketball player for the United States of America, an Olympic athlete, a businessman, and an actor. From the mid-1980s through the late 1990s, he was widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. Jordan won six National Basketball Association titles with the Chicago Bulls and was named the N.B.A.’s Most Valuable Player five times. Jordan became the N.B.A.’s most decorated player with five regular-season M.V.P.s and three All-Star M.V.P.s.

Fast Facts

Full Name:

Michael Jeffrey Jordan

Nickname:

M.J.

Birth date:

February 17, 1963

Age:

61 years, 1 month

Zodiac Sign:

Aquarius

Height:

6' 5"

Relationship Status:

Married

Net Worth:

$1.6 billion

Michael Jordan's Social Media:

Background

Michael Jordan was one of James and Deloris Jordan’s five children born on February 17, 1963. Jordan’s family relocated to Wilmington, N.C., when he was young. His father was a G.E. plant superintendent and his mother a banker. In his father’s words: “Work hard and avoid the streets.” At first, Jordan didn’t make his high school basketball team as a sophomore. The next year he made the team. After high school, he got a basketball scholarship to play for Dean Smith at U.N.C.The Chicago Bulls were a losing club that drew barely 6,000 spectators to home games when Jordan was chosen. Jordan swiftly changed that. His style of play and competitive nature reminded sportswriters and fans of Julius Erving, a 1970s great. Jordan’s tremendous jumps and hang time wowed fans throughout the league. He made the All-Star squad his first year and was subsequently voted the league’s Rookie of the Year. Jordan missed 64 games due to a fractured foot from 1985 to 1986, but he returned to score 49 and 63 points against the Boston Celtics in the playoffs, both N.B.A. records. From 1986 to 1987, Jordan began the All-Star game after collecting a record 1.5 million votes. He scored 3,000 points in a season for the first time since Wilt Chamberlain (1936 to 1999).The Bulls won the N.B.A. title in 1993 after a grueling playoff series with the New York Knicks. Chicago had won their third consecutive postseason championship, with Jordan as M.V.P. Two men killed Jordan’s father, James, during a heist that summer. Jordan’s anguish at his father’s death and media reports about his gambling forced him to quit basketball in October. Jordan had won three N.B.A. championships in a row, three regular season M.V.P. awards, three playoff M.V.P. awards, seven consecutive scoring crowns, and was an All-Star every year he played. He was the Bulls’ all-time top scorer in nine seasons.In the 19 years after his debut, Jordan has retired three times. He retired in 1993, then again in 1998, and ultimately in 2003.

Career timeline

1984
Being a Member of a Gold-medal Squad

He is a member of the Summer Olympics gold medal-winning squad that features Sam Perkins, Steve Alford, and Patrick Ewing.

1986
Obtaining a Score of 3,000 Points

He is only the second player after Wilt Chamberlain to score 3,000 points in a single season.

1988
The Most Valuable Player

Jordan wins his first N.B.A. Most Valuable Player Award in 1988 — a distinction he would repeat four times.

1993
His Sudden Retirement

Jordan momentarily retires in October after guiding the Bulls to their third straight title and attempts a career in professional baseball.

1995
Renaissance of Splendor

Jordan returns to basketball with the Chicago Bulls in March after a brief sojourn in minor-league baseball.

2000
Owner and Basketball Operations President

Jordan joins the Washington Wizards as a part owner and head of basketball operations, after his second retirement from basketball.

Michael Jordan FAQs

What makes Jordan unique?

Jordan earned the moniker Air Jordan for his ability to leap and do insane dunks and other very athletic feats on the court.

Why is he afraid of water?

Jordan’s phobia of water stems from an experience in his youth; he once saw a close buddy perish as a result of being swept into the undertow and Jordan came dangerously close to drowning shortly thereafter while attending a baseball camp.

Was Jordan born into poverty?

According to his father, one thing Jordan was not excellent at was working, “Michael is perhaps the laziest child I ever had,” said James Jordan, who grew up as the son of a poor farmer and learned to drive a tractor at the age of 10.

5 Surprising Facts

  1. Gambling is one of his interests

    Jordan's most well-known hobby is his predilection for gambling; reports abound of how he coerced colleagues into betting on almost every sport, from golf to card games to rock-scissor-paper throwdowns, but his need to continuously raise the stakes sometimes put him in danger.

  2. He is an enthusiastic golfer

    Jordan's interest in golf started in the summer of 1984 when he visited his first course with a party that included future golf professional Davis Love III.

  3. He earned his college degree

    Jordan graduated from the University of North Carolina in 1986 with a degree in cultural geography, despite leaving a year early to pursue his professional career.

  4. He is afraid of water

    Jordan suffers from a phobia of water as a result of a traumatic occurrence during his youth.

  5. Jordan has a custom-built home in Florida

    Jordan has a multimillion-dollar bespoke residence in Florida, United States of America.

Why We Love Michael Jordan

  1. He’s the greatest basketball player of all time

    Jordan is largely regarded as the game's finest player. He was well-known for his overall basketball abilities, which included scoring, passing, and defense.

  2. He contributed to relief efforts

    He announced his comeback immediately after the September 11 attacks, and he also pledged to contribute his full first-year salary to recovery operations. This includes $900,000 for relief operations and $100,000 for children who lost their parents.

  3. He’s the only basketball player above 40

    Jordan is the first basketball player beyond the age of 40 to average more than 20 points per game and to score more than 40 points in a game. In 1996, his name was included in a list of the best 50 N.B.A. players of all time.

Michael Jordan’s birthday dates

Year Date Day
2023 February 17 Friday
2024 February 17 Saturday
2025 February 17 Monday
2026 February 17 Tuesday
2027 February 17 Wednesday