Michael Jordan Bio: Net Worth, Salary, and Professional Career

The Greatest Man ever to play the sport of basketball, Michael Jordan, is more than a name for basketball enthusiasts. There was a certain artistry in his skills on the court that still made him different from all the other players who played before and after him. His hand movements, quick reflexes, and, most importantly, agility with stamina created the magic that fans used to witness on the court. But, apart from hardcore fans, most people don’t know that Michael was just like any other talented athlete who honed his skill and sport to perfection. He made it seamless with his vigorous hard work. Today, we are going to explore how long this journey was and how MJ paved his way through it.

Michael Jordan Early Life

Michael Jeffrey Jordan was born to James and Deloris Jordan on February 17, 1963. He took his first breath in Brooklyn, New York. But later, his family moved to Wilmington, North Carolina, where he grew up. His father was a mechanic, while his mother worked in the banking sector. That’s why, from an early age, Jordan was busy playing sports and indulging in neighborhood games. Over time, it developed fierce competitiveness within him. Michael Jordan height is 6'6".

The great Michael Jordan was once removed from his sophomore high school team. However, he did not give up but retaliated and returned to the roster through guidance from his high school. As soon as he gained a significant height, there was no looking back for him, and he climbed up the stairs of success.

Michael Jordan Personal Information

Before moving ahead on the nuanced life exploration of Michael Jordan. Let’s get to know the basic details about the life of His Airness. We have listed Michael Jordan's net worth, height, and relationship status among others:

Michael Jordan Personal Life

Michael is a basketball legend; his name alone has much influence in the world. Michael is married to Yvette Prieto, a Cuban-American model. They got married in 2013. Jordan is a father to Jeffrey, Marcus, Jasmine, Victoria, and Isabel. Michael was first married to Juanita Vanoy, but they got divorced in 2006. Juanita reportedly received $168 million in alimony, making it the highest amount on the celebrity alimony list at that time. Michael is also a grandfather to his daughter Jasmine's son. Jasmine was married to Rakeem Christmas, a professional Basketball player. Michael Jordan age is 61 years old.

Michael Jordan Parents

Michael Jordan’s parents are Deloris and James R. Jordan, Sr. According to the 2020 ESPN documentary The Last Dance, Michael revealed in the first episode how his parents were always “trying to keep me busy” and encouraged all their children to play organized sports to teach them “more about life.” This was the first push that Michael got as a child to pursue sports in life.

James Jordan, in archival footage from a docuseries, explained that with five kids and both parents working, they often worried about their children’s time at home. To keep them engaged and involved in the community, they decided to enroll them in sports, dropping them off at Little League fields or gyms.

Michael Jordan attributed his unyielding competitive spirit to these early experiences. Michael Jordan’s mother, Deloris, made a huge contribution to securing the deal with Nike in 1984. After that, the world got the Air Jordan shoe, one of the bestseller shoes in the world.

Michael Jordan Wife

Currently, Michael Jordan wife is Yvette Prieto. Before meeting Prieto in 2008, Jordan had already divorced his first wife in 2006. For the first time, MJ met Yvette in a nightclub in Miami. As soon as they met, they felt a connection and started living with each other in the year 2009. Soon after three years, both of them got engaged in a private ceremony. On April 27, 2013, Jordan and Prieto got married in front of 500 guests. Their current residence is in Jupiter, Florida, with their twin daughters.

Though the NBA legend and Cuban-born model keep their relationship private, they have made a few red-carpet appearances together. They have also attended basketball games, boxing matches, and NASCAR races. Most recently, Jordan and Prieto were seen on vacation in Saint-Tropez, France.

Michael Jordan Kids

Michael Jordan kids are five in number. His first wife, Juanita Vanoy, had three children: two sons and a daughter. Their names are Jeffrey(36), Marcus(34) and Jasmine(32). All of them are not active on the on-court basketball. Rather, they are working in the business side of the basketball world and the management of the Air Jordan Line, as per People data.

From his second wife, Yvette Prieto, Jordan had twin daughters in 2014, who were named Victoria and Ysabel. They are quite young and will turn 11 years old this year. Apart from these details, Michael Jordan is quite private about his personal life and does not speak on public platforms about it.

Michael Jordan Contract

Michael Jordan contract started his NBA career with the Chicago Bulls and retired from basketball with the Washington Wizards. Jordan became a legend and every big brand wanted him. He eventually signed many big deals, which made him a billionaire. His NBA contracts were famously modest in his early years with the Chicago Bulls.

From 1984 to 1996, he was often underpaid compared to his market value. His rookie contract with the Bulls was a seven-year deal worth around $6 million in total. However, in his final two seasons with Chicago (1996–98), Jordan signed one-year deals worth $30.14 million and $33.14 million—the highest single-season salaries in NBA history at the time. He later signed a two-year, $2 million deal with the Washington Wizards from 2001 to 2003, donating his first year’s salary to 9/11 relief efforts.

Michael Jordan Salary

Michael Jordan salary is about $93.9 million in salary during his 15 seasons in the NBA, according to Spotrac, and most of his NBA salary came from the last two years of his stint with the Chicago Bulls. Over his 15-season NBA career, Jordan earned a total of about $94 million in salary.

Despite this, most of his wealth was not generated through basketball salaries, especially in the early years. His single-season salary of $33.14 million in 1997–98 remains one of the most lucrative in league history when adjusted for inflation. For context, Jordan was paid less than $4 million total during his first ten seasons with the Bulls.

Michael Jordan Net Worth

Michael Jordan net worth, according to Forbes, is estimated to be around $3.5 billion. In addition to it, MJ bought a majority stake in the Charlotte Hornets in 2010 for $175 million, which he sold for $3 billion in 2023. He also co-owns 23XI Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series. Coming to the non-movable assets, Jordan is an investor and special advisor to DraftKings, a sports-betting company, along with real estate properties. Now, the exact amount of Michael Jordan's net worth we estimated is right or not, but it sure is true that the legend is a billionaire.

Michael Jordan Endorsements

The endorsements were a big part of His Airness’ fortune since he accumulated over $1.8 billion from endorsement deals.

• Nike: His partnership with Nike is the biggest partnership. Nike pays Jordan $60 million annually through the Jordan Brand royalties.
• McDonald's: Jordan appeared in an anti-drug PSA, which was sponsored by McDonald's

Michael has collaborated with many big brands like Nike, Coca-Cola, Chevrolet, Gatorade, McDonald's, Ball Park Franks, Rayovac, Wheaties, and Hanes.

Michael Jordan Career

Michael Jordan stats have been amazing throughout his career. It was nothing short of legendary. However, it all started from somewhere, and someone sowed the seeds of competition in His Airness. The competitive fire in MJ’s heart was burning from his childhood that kept him motivated till her college life. Soon, at North Carolina Tar Heels, he learned the skills of basketball and developed them over the years. Later on, he went all-out on the NBA Floor. Today we are going to explore the details of his legendary career:

Michael Jordan High School Career

Jordan attended Emsley A. Laney High School and used to play basketball, baseball, and football there. He tried out for the basketball varsity team during his sophomore year, but at a height of 5 feet 11 inches (1.80m), he was deemed too short. That’s why Jordan was keen on proving himself and tallied some 40-point games on Laney’s junior varsity team. The following summer, he grew four inches (10cm) and trained rigorously. After earning a spot on the varsity roster, Jordan averaged more than 25 points per game over his final two seasons of high school play. As a senior, he was selected for the 1981 McDonald’s All-American Game and scored 30 points after averaging 26.8 ppg, 11.6 rebounds, and 10.1 assists per game for the season.

Michael Jordan College Career

Michael Jordan was recruited by various college basketball programs, including Duke North Carolina, South Carolina, Syracuse, and Virginia. But he accepted a basketball scholarship to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1981.

Michael Jordan Professional Career

Michael Jordan was an exceptional basketball player who led his team by example. That’s why his leadership was all about leading the pack with raw intensity and competitive nature. Here is a breakdown of the productivity that he gave to the league from 1990 to 2003 as per ESPN. Let's take look at Michael Jordan's stats. He was a Round 1 Pick 3 for the Chicago Bulls in 1984. But after his entrance into the league, it was all over for the contemporary stars of the NBA. He changed the face of the league, winning 6 Championships and 5 NBA MVPs. He took a break in 1993 after his father’s death but he looked on the positive and returned better than before in the league.

Michael Jordan Jersey

Michael Jordan jersey, number 23, is an icon. The Chicago Bulls red jersey, particularly the one worn during the 1996 championship season, became a cult famous jersey. Fans worldwide wore it, to show their love for the NBA player. The black alternate jersey, and the white home jersey, are also highly sought after. Even a layman can recognize the number 23 belongs to Jordan, that's how popular it became and still today is. The jersey's impact extends beyond sports, appearing in music videos and fashion. Singer Miley Cyrus among others can often be seen wearing the Chicago Bulls Jersey.

Michael Jordan Shoes

Michael Jordan shoes are quite popular. Jordans are quite famous shoes and even the NBA nonfans fawn over Nike's Jordans. Each model, from the original Air Jordan 1 with its banned red and black pattern to the Air Jordan 11 with its patent leather elegance, incorporated innovative technology.

Nike's red and black Jordans which were banned by the NBA also gathered quite a big storm in the stores, as Nike flipped the script and instead of stopping the production of the shoe they brought a commercial named 'Banned'. The shoes still are a cultural phenomenon, extending beyond the courts of the NBA. Collectors and fans sought them. The Air Jordan 3, which featured the elephant print, and the Air Jordan 12, which was or rather is still known for its durable design.

Michael Jordan Awards and Achievements

Michael Jordan is widely regarded as the greatest basketball player of all time, and his career is filled with extraordinary awards and achievements. Over 15 NBA seasons, he won six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls (1991–1993, 1996–1998), earning Finals MVP honors each time, making him the only player in history to win six Finals MVPs. Jordan was named NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) five times (1988, 1991, 1992, 1996, 1998) and selected to the All-NBA First Team 10 times. Known for his elite scoring ability, he was a 10-time NBA scoring champion, led the league in steals three times, and earned NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 1988, showcasing his dominance on both ends of the court. He appeared in 14 NBA All-Star Games, winning All-Star MVP three times.

Before his NBA career, Jordan was already a rising star. At the University of North Carolina, he won the 1982 NCAA Championship and was named Naismith College Player of the Year in 1984. He won two Olympic gold medals, first in 1984 with Team USA and again in 1992 as part of the legendary “Dream Team.”

His global influence extended beyond basketball: he became the first former player to own a majority stake in an NBA team (the Charlotte Hornets) and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016 by Barack Obama. Jordan was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009 as a player and again in 2010 as a member of the Dream Team. His legacy continues to influence sports, business, and culture on a global scale.

In addition to the title achievements and flashy Olympic gold medals, Jordan is the only player in NBA history to score back-to-back 50-point games in the playoffs. scored 3,000 points in the 1986–87 season, averaging 37.1 points per game. That’s why he is fifth on the NBA’s all-time points list with 32,292 points.

How Many Rings Does Michael Jordan Have?

Michael Jordan has won six NBA Championships while playing for the Chicago Bulls in the pro-basketball league. It was a golden era for the Bulls franchise since they won the finals series consecutively for three years two times. There was a gap of two years in Chicago’s championship streak, which was majorly due to the retirement of Michael Jordan. His Airness had so much impact on the team that when he was away from the sport for two years, the Bulls team could not even make it to the Finals let alone winning it. However, they were able to cut their way to the NBA playoffs.

Meanwhile, the primary Jordan cited for staying away from the game was physical and mental exhaustion. However, in 1995, he realized that it was hard to stay away from something he loved. So he rejoined the Bulls roster midway through the 1995 season and led them to the Championship in 1996 and years after that.