MICHAEL JORDAN
ATHLETE (1963-)
Michael Jordan, the best known athlete in the world, is a leading scorer in the National Basketball Association (NBA), who led the Chicago Bulls to many recent NBA championships. He is, by far, and will be for a time to come, the best basketball player in the history of the game. Jordan was born in Brooklyn, New York, and raised in Wilmington, North Carolina. He accepted a basketball scholarship from the University of North Carolina and as a freshman scored the winning basket in the 1982 NCAA championship game against the Hoyas of Georgetown. Jordan was selected college player of the year for 1983-1984 season, and in 1984 he led the United States basketball team to a gold medal at the Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Jordan left college in 1984 to play with the Bulls. He finished his first season as one of the top scorers in the league, with an average of 28.2 points per game. Jordan was named MVP of the NBA finals, becoming the first player to earn the honor four times.
Revised: July 18, 2013.
