Michael Jordan is arguably the greatest NBA player of all time, but his career began in college with the North Carolina Tar Heels.
Jordan attended Emsley A. Laney High School. During his high school career, he was recruited by schools including Duke, North Carolina, South Carolina, Syracuse and Virginia.
In 1981, the New Yorker who grew up in North Carolina entered the University of North Carolina, majoring in cultural geography. Jordan played three seasons at the University of North Carolina before declaring for the NBA draft in 1984. He was selected by the Chicago Bulls with the third overall pick in that year’s draft.
Michael Jordan’s college career
Michael Jordan had immediate success during his freshman season at the University of North Carolina. He played in 34 games, averaging 13.4 points, shooting 53.4% from the field, and 4.4 rebounds.
However, arguably the most defining moment of the six-time NBA champion’s college career came when he hit the game-winning shot against Georgetown in the 1982 NCAA Tournament to lead UNC to the championship.
“This is how Michael Jordan was born,” Jordan said via Rollins Stone. “Before that, I was Michael Jordan. “All of a sudden I made that shot and I was Michael Jordan. “
During Jordan’s college career, UNC coach Dean Smith was shocked by Jordan’s work ethic.
“He’s one of the most competitive (players) we have in practice,” Smith said, via CNBC. “He wants to get better, and then, he has the ability to get better.”
Jordan played in 36 games during his freshman season, averaging 20 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game.
In his junior and final year at the University of North Carolina, Jordan averaged 19.6 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. In three years with the Tar Heels, Jordan averaged 17.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game.
In his three years, Jordan was a unanimous first-team NCAA All-American in both his sophomore and junior seasons. In 1984, he also won the Naismith and Wooden College Player of the Year awards.
After a successful college career, Jordan played in the NBA for 15 years and won six NBA championships. He averaged an NBA record 30.1 points, 6.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists. He finished his career with 5 MVP and 6 NBA Finals MVP awards and had his No. 23 jersey retired by the Chicago Bulls.
After a successful three-year college career, Jordan’s No. 23 jersey was also retired by the University of North Carolina Tar Heels.