Where was Michael Jordan born and brought up? Taking a closer look at the NBA legend's hometown
Michael Jordan is arguably the greatest NBA player of all time. He is well known for setting many records in the league, winning six championships and 10 scoring titles during his career.
Besides his impressive basketball career, Jordan is also one of the most successful businessmen. In 2022, his net worth is estimated at more than $2 billion.
Thanks to his amazing career, Jordan has visited many countries, states, and cities. However, no place is as special as his hometown. In this article, we will take a closer look at Michael Jordan's hometown and the place where he was born.
Michael Jordan was born in New York
Michael Jordan was born on February 17, 1963 in Brooklyn, New York. He is the third son of James and Delores Jordan, who moved to Brooklyn just a year before Michael's birth.
James and Delores moved to Brooklyn with their oldest son, Larry, and this is who the NBA legend played against during his childhood years.
Michael's family moved to Wilmington, North Carolina, in 1968. Jordan attended Trask Middle School and was very successful in basketball and football, receiving certificates of achievement in June 1977.
Jordan's father, James, introduced him to baseball as well. As many NBA fans are aware, the basketball legend retired from the NBA for two years and played in a baseball league.
Michael attended Emsley A. Laney High School later in life, showing off his athletic skills in all three sports. He tried out for the junior varsity basketball team, but was only 5-foot-11, which was too short for that level.
This only motivated Jordan, who eventually became the star of the team and was one of the best high school players. The young basketball star stayed in North Carolina and joined its university, despite being recruited by many other colleges. Jordan went on to have a successful college career which made him one of the top draft picks in the 1984 NBA Draft.
Jordan's connection to his hometown
Despite being born in New York, Michael Jordan was brought up in North Carolina, and this is where he donated $10 million to open two hospitals in 2021.
The NBA Hall of Famer frequently visits his hometown and donates money to different groups, helping a lot of people indirectly. However, he's also had some conflicting feelings about Wilmington.
Like many other African-Americans, Michael Jordan dealt with a lot of racism. He's shared stories about other kids not wanting to hang out with him because of his race.
The Ku Klux Klan had a large presence in North Carolina during Jordan's early years, which is why his connection to the hometown isn't exactly the best.
However, Jordan's parents raised him properly and he managed to overcome adversity and become an important figure. The NBA legend did not let anything get in his way, not even the horrible social situation in his own hometown.