Who is Michael Jordan's mom? Closer look at her contribution to 6x NBA champion's illustrious basketball career
Michael Jordan achieved greatness in sports history that has become impossible for other athletes to facsimile. In his short illustrious NBA career, Jordan transcended his own moniker and the NBA. However, the greatness that MJ achieved wouldn’t have been possible without his parents. Deloris Jordan, his mother, and James Jordan, his father, both were the biggest catalysts in changing his attitude toward success.
Jordan’s mother dedicated most of her life to working multiple jobs to provide a better life for her family. Throughout Jordan's journey, even after he achieved success in the league, she continued to inspire "His Airness" to relentlessly pursue his dreams through hard work.
One of the biggest contributions that Deloris had towards MJ’s life came when she made him sign the Nike deal. In 1984, she helped the Chicago Bulls legend to sign a Nike deal instead of Adidas. The deal resulted in coming out of iconic Air Jordan, setting a precedent for the biggest Nike basketball deal. The deal gave the six-time NBA champion a signature shoe and a $250,000 paycheck.
Jordan opened up in “The Last Dance” that his parents were trying to keep their children busy and pushed them to play organized sports. Very few know that the NBA legend would never have shown up in the NBA had Deloris not stepped in earlier. During the university selection process, Jordan was cut from the team and he was unwilling to play basketball anymore. His mother stepped in and asked her son to convert frustration into hard work, which ultimately paid off.
MJ has become a legend and whenever his legacy would be talked about the name Deloris would always be mentioned.
What does Michael Jordan’s mother do?
Deloris Jordan and her dedication became an example for her children. Even after her retirement from the professional work life, she has not stopped giving back to where she came from. In 1989, even before Jordan won his first championship, she founded the Michael Jordan Foundation.
In 1997, she founded the James R. Jordan Boys & Girls Club and Family Life Center to help underprivileged children get proper academic qualifications. In 2000, she again founded James R. Jordan Foundation, to support children with low incomes. In 2021, Jordan released the Dear Deloris shoe, honoring his mother for shaping his future.
She has authored several books like “Salt in His Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream,” “Michael's Golden Rules,” Did I Tell You I Love You Today?” and “Dream Big.”
To this day, she remains an active author, with a particular focus on writing books on parenting and children's literature.