Raleigh, North Carolina — Saturday is Michael Jordan’s 61st birthday.
Jordan’s ruthless competitiveness, fiery on-court demeanor and unparalleled achievements made him one of the most famous athletes in history.
Jordan maintained many ties to North Carolina and his legacy is part of our state’s rich basketball history. His rise from a lanky kid at Laney High School to a college star at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to, for a time, the most famous celebrity in the world is a timeless success story and a nod to the American dream.
We’ve collected a collection of interesting storylines about his life and times.
1. Flu Game
In Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals in Utah, Jordan, who was suffering from illness, scored 38 points to help the Bulls take the lead in the series. This was one of the most influential moments of his career. one. The image of Jordan leaning on Scottie Pippen as he exited the court became a lasting memory of the Finals. Many called it a “flu game,” but Jordan explained in “The Last Dance” that he actually got sick from food poisoning after eating some late-night pizza the night before.
The event embodied Jordan’s mystique, key performer status and strength of character. Jordan said overcoming near-exhaustion for the feat was “probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done.”
2. What does “Republicans also buy sneakers” mean?
Jordan had no shortage of endorsements in his prime, with partnerships with Nike, McDonald’s, Gatorade and Rayovac. He capitalized on his influence as the game’s greatest player by maximizing his appeal to advertisers. His marketability in the 1990s was second to none, and his remark to teammates that “Republicans buy sneakers, too” seemed to indicate that he didn’t want to risk taking a stand on a controversial issue at the expense of profitability.
Having said that, you can only be forced to do what you are called to do. Jordan felt he was not cut out for the political arena, in contrast to some of today’s athletes who are outspoken about social issues, political leaders and current events.
Jordan clarified that he was joking but understood that others viewed it as selfish.
Jordan said his mother asked him to publicly support Harvey Gantt, who was running against Jesse Helms in North Carolina’s 1990 U.S. Senate election. Gant failed, but made an impact as he became the first African American to represent North Carolina in this capacity. Jordan said he never officially endorsed Gant but did donate to his campaign.
Jordan was sometimes compared to Muhammad Ali in terms of status and importance, but spoke of the differences between Ali and him in “The Last Dance.”
“I do commend Muhammad Ali for standing up for what he believed in,” Jordan said. “But I never considered myself an activist. I considered myself a basketball player. When I played my sport, I wasn’t a politician. I was focused on my craft. Is that selfish? Probably . But that’s my energy. “That’s where my energy is. “
In 2020, Jordan and Jordan Brand pledged to donate $100 million to racial equality causes over 10 years. In 2023, he donated $10 million to Make-A-Wish America.
3. Wrap yourself in a flag
Jordan’s entire career was dedicated to Nike, which led to a possible conflict when members of the 1992 Olympic “Dream Team” wore jackets with Reebok logos during medal ceremonies. He covered the Reebok logo with an American flag and protected the partnership. Charles Barkley, who has an endorsement deal with Nike, and Magic Johnson, who is sponsored by Converse, help carry the banner. Barkley and Johnson didn’t want to mark the Reebok logo, but they also didn’t want to desecrate the mark on their sportswear.
When asked about the move, Jordan said: “The American flag can’t tarnish anything. That’s what we stand for.” The American dream is about standing up for what you believe in. I believe it and I stand by it. “If I offend anyone, that’s too bad.”
4. Did he really not make the high school team?
Over the years, whenever people need someone to help me in times of adversity, many North Carolinians have mentioned the story of Jordan not being drafted to his high school team before becoming a legend. This is actually not entirely accurate. Jordan was undrafted as a sophomore at Laney High School in Wilmington. His slight build, standing about 5 feet 10 inches, led coaches to select Jordan for the junior varsity team.
He grew several inches over the next few months and continued to hone his skills, making the varsity team the next season. The rest is history.
5. “The Last Dance” puts MJ in the spotlight of public consciousness again
The trailer for Jordan’s highly anticipated 10-episode series, originally scheduled to air after the 2020 NBA Finals, premiered in late 2018 to widespread attention. However, when the coronavirus pandemic hit the world in the spring and all major professional and college sports were put on hold, people were hungry for sports-related content. Many networks have replayed classic games, allowing fans to relive the games they missed when the NCAA Tournament and NBA/NHL playoffs were put on hold.
“The Last Dance” chronicles Jordan’s rise as an athlete and the fervor of the Chicago Bulls dynasty in the 1990s. Jordan doesn’t make many public appearances these days and has done little to promote the series, especially since it was released at the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Without much else going on in the entertainment world, Jordan is back in the spotlight.
Jordan gave reasons for many aspects of his personality, including the competitive spirit he exerted on those around him. The release of this documentary comes 17 years after Jordan left his career and 22 years after leaving the Chicago Bulls, giving many in the basketball world time to absorb his impact from a new perspective.
“You asked all my teammates, the one thing about Michael Jordan was he never asked me to do anything he didn’t do,” he said in the documentary.
6. The meme is born
When Jordan was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009, he became emotional many times during his acceptance speech. A photo of Jordan bursting into tears during a speech sparked ridicule online.
Since then, it has become a common meme on the Internet and is synonymous with sports failure. For many non-sports fans, this became their reference point for Jordan.
Jordan even admitted as much during a speech at Kobe Bryant’s memorial service, joking that the scene might spark a new meme.
“I told my wife I wasn’t going to do it because I didn’t want to see this happen for the next three or four years,” he joked at the memorial service.
7. “The ceiling is the roof”
Sometimes the sky is the limit. Other times, the ceiling is the roof.
On March 4, 2017, Jordan attended the Duke University/University of North Carolina basketball game to celebrate the football team’s switch to Jumpman brand clothing and uniforms. He then described the football team’s potential, claiming “the ceiling is the roof,” which seemed a bit head-scratching but also a bit inspiring.
The slogan became a trendy T-shirt purchased by Heels fans, and a month later they were validated as the basketball team won the national championship.
8. Not watching free throws
Before the word “flexible” became popular, Jordan would occasionally display well-deserved swagger. Long before the era of player empowerment, this was seen more as a grace for him as the undisputed greatest player of his era.
During an early-season game in Denver in 1991, Jordan had some fun with then-rookie Dikembe Mutombo.
“Hey Mutombo, this is for you, baby!” he said, then closed his eyes and shot the free throw.
Jordan hit all seven free throws in that game and scored 37 points. Later in his career, in Atlanta, when Mutombo was on the court again, the right-handed Jordan also shot free throws with his left hand.
9. Resilience is a calling card
Jordan did retire and come back twice during his career, leading many to wonder what his statistical accomplishments would have looked like if he had played non-stop from age 22 to 40. But his ability to play through injuries and avoid them over the course of an 82-game season has been crucial to his storied career. Jordan played all 82 games in nine of his 15 career seasons. Jordan played all 82 games in his final season at age 40.
Load management is very important in the current NBA world, where players sometimes miss regular season games to reduce demands throughout the season. Referring to some of today’s more experienced players, Jordan played 15 seasons, LeBron James was in his 20th season, Chris Paul was in his 19th season, Kevin Durant was in his 16th season, and Stephen Curry is in his 15th season.
10. Go to the wizard, Michael!
Jordan played for the Washington Wizards when he was 38, 39 and 40 years old. After being hired as the Wizards’ general manager in 2000, he announced his comeback in the fall of 2001. As the NBA inherited a new crop of stars, Jordan wasn’t considered a top player, but he was still strong. As time went on, fans and the media gained a new appreciation for his achievements.
Although Jordan’s ability to create his own shots and maintain his trademark intensity on the defensive end diminished, he retained the savvy and skill to become an All-Star caliber player before leaving the court.
In two seasons in Washington, D.C., Jordan averaged 21.2 points, 4.4 assists and 5.9 rebounds in 142 games. He even scored 51 points in a game in December 2001. While the team was one of the Eastern Conference contenders for part of the season, a knee injury kept Jordan and the Wizards out of the playoffs for the first time in their careers that season. The 2002-2003 version of the Wizards also failed to make the playoffs.
11.He is a very good golfer
Jordan has competed in numerous celebrity and professional golf events, including events in Delta and North Carolina. PGA Tour champion Keegan Bradley spoke about Jordan’s love for the sport on the Pardon My Take podcast, claiming Jordan had even beaten him before.
“That guy plays 36 holes 300 days a year. I’ve never met anyone who loves golf more than he does,” Bradley said.
12. Strike out
Jordan’s foray into professional baseball was a long-held dream, but it was not a continuation or expansion of his stardom at the height of his sport and culture. Jordan played one season with the Double-A Birmingham Barons, hitting .202 with three home runs and 51 RBIs. Aside from the 30 bases he had stolen, it was an unremarkable exercise that led many to question the pursuit.
The fight came to a head in a Sports Illustrated cover story with the headline “Wrap it up, Michael!” with the subtitle “Jordan and the White Sox are an embarrassment of baseball.”
Jordan was reportedly so angry about the cover story that he had not spoken to the magazine since the edition was published in March 1994.
In 1994, WRAL’s Bob Holliday and Jeff Gravley were part of the media buzz while attending White Sox spring training in Sarasota, Florida. Jordan claimed he didn’t want to be a sideshow and understood he would be held to the same standards as other players.
Most considered it a failure, but it humanized Jordan and led to an even more triumphant rise when he returned to the NBA in March 1995. When it happened, a press release from agent David Falk to the media simply said: “I’m stepping back.”