Michael Jordan

3 Pages 746 Words

Michael Jordan
In today’s society, you have many athletes who are extraordinary. One of the most prevalent names in those extraordinary athletes is Michael Jordan. Many fans know Michael for his countless number of “Air Jordans” and his infamous number “23” jersey. This is not the only thing Michael should be known for.
Michael Jeffrey Jordan was one of five children born to James and Delores Jordan on February 17, 1963 in Brooklyn, NY. A few years after Michael was born, his parents were concerned about raising their family on the mean streets of Brooklyn, where drugs and violence could become a way of life for those unable to resist temptation (1). So instead of trying to endure the streets of Brooklyn, the Jordan family moved to Wilmington, North Carolina. His father got a job as a mechanic and his mother got a job as a teller at United Carolina Bank.
As a child, Michael loved baseball. He played as an outfielder and as a pitcher. At the age of 12, Jordan was named the top player in the league. Soon after losing focus on baseball, Michael adopted the game of basketball (2). This is also where he picked up the “sticking out” of his tongue from his father. His father would always curl his tongue to the side of his mouth to show that he was concentrating. Michael picked up this habit and brought it with him to sports (2 pg. 33). In tenth grade, Michael tried out for the Laney High School basketball team. The coach, Coach Lynch, cut Michael, which in turn may have made the best player ever (3 pg.21). After realizing that his coach had made a mistake, Michael took practicing basketball to another level. His new dedication to making the varsity team had drawbacks; he was cutting classes and going to the gym to practice. He practiced everyday with his brother, Larry (4 pg. 16). His hard work paid off because the University of North Carolina gave him a full athletic scholarship to come play basketball for their team (1)....