Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963), also known by his initials MJ,[9] is an
American businessman and former professional basketball player, who is currently a
minority owner of the Charlotte Hornets of the National Basketball Association (NBA).
He played 15 seasons in the NBA between 1984 and 2003, winning six NBA
championships with the Chicago Bulls. He was integral in popularizing basketball and
the NBA around the world in the 1980s and 1990s,[10] becoming a global cultural icon.[11]
Jordan played college basketball with the North Carolina Tar Heels. As a freshman, he
was a member of the Tar Heels' national championship team in 1982.[5] Jordan joined
the Bulls in 1984 as the third overall draft pick[5][12] and quickly emerged as a league star,
entertaining crowds with his prolific scoring while gaining a reputation as one of the best
defensive players.[13] His leaping ability, demonstrated by performing slam dunks from
the free-throw line in Slam Dunk Contests, earned him the nicknames "Air Jordan" and
"His Airness".[5][12] Jordan won his first NBA title with the Bulls in 1991 and followed that
achievement with titles in 1992 and 1993, securing a three-peat. Citing physical and
mental exhaustion from basketball and superstardom, Jordan abruptly retired from
basketball before the 1993–94 NBA season to play Minor League Baseball in
the Chicago White Sox organization. He returned to the Bulls in March 1995 and led
them to three more championships in 1996, 1997, and 1998, as well as a then-record
72 regular season wins in the 1995–96 NBA season.[5] Jordan retired for the second
time in January 1999, returning for two more NBA seasons from 2001 to 2003 as a
member of the Washington Wizards.[5][12] He was selected to play for the United States
national team during his college and NBA careers, winning four gold medals—at
the 1983 Pan American Games, 1984 Summer Olympics, 1992 Tournament of the
Americas and 1992 Summer Olympics—while also being undefeated.[14]