From 3x NBA champion to Chicago White Sox outfielder: The emotional story of Michael Jordan's short-lived career switch to baseball
Michael Jordan is widely considered to be the best basketball player ever to play the game. While his achievements on the hardwood are very well-documented, much less is known about his brief baseball career.
A star baller at the University of North Carolina, Jordan was famously selected No. 3 by the Chicago Bulls in the 1984 NBA Draft. He scored 16 points in his NBA debut for the Bulls in October 1984. The next season, he scored 63 points in a single playoff game, shattering the previous single-game playoff points record.
For a number of years, Jordan continued to dominate. He won the MVP Award in 1988 and again in 1991 after averaging 31.5 points per game. In 1991, Jordan led his team to a franchise-record 61 wins, winning the Bulls' first-ever championship.
"Michael Jordan averaged 31.2 points, 11.4 assists and 6.6 rebounds in 5 games in the 1991 NBA Finals" - The Jordan Rules
After winning his third straight championship with the Bulls in 1993, Michael Jordan decided to switch things up. In 1994, he surprised everyone when he announced he would be signing a minor league deal with the Chicago White Sox.
According to Jordan, he was fulfilling a life-long dream of both himself and his father to play in MLB. The switch was facilitated by Jerry Reinsdorf, who owned both the Bulls and the White Sox.
Jordan spent the summer of 1994 playing for the Birmingham Barons, the Double-A affiliate of the White Sox. However, he would not find the same success as he had in the NBA. Recording just a .202 batting average, Jordan struck out more than anyone else on the team.
Although his presence on the Double-A club brought significant attention to the team, it was not to be. According to sources close to the superstar, grappling with "the game of failure" that is baseball was just not for him.
Moreover, the 1994 MLB lockout cast further doubt on his future in the major leagues. At the end of the season, Jordan re-joined the Chicago Bulls, where he would go on to win three more NBA titles.
"Michael Jordan hits a HR with the Birmingham Barons - the Chicago #WhiteSox AA baseball team! (1994) Happy 60th Birthday MJ!" - Baseball by BSmile
Michael Jordan's foray into baseball speaks volumes about his athleticism, despite results
Only a small group of players, such as Atlanta Braves star Deion Sanders, have found success in both MLB and the NFL. Although Jordan likely wishes that his baseball career could have been more fruitful, he more than made up for it with his legendary performances in the NBA.