I’m not here to debate whether Michael Jordan or LeBron James is the GOAT (greatest of all time), but there’s no question Jordan had an absolutely prolific career.
Throughout his 15 seasons in the NBA, Jordan broke records, won championships, and took the game of basketball to an entirely new level. While much has been said about Jordan’s career over the decades, there’s still so much to know about the man, the myth, the legend.. From his childhood idol to his greatest phobia, here are 7 facts about Jordan that you should definitely know if you call yourself a basketball superfan.
Wore #12 One Time
Fans of basketball equate the number 23 with Jordan, as it’s the number he wore throughout most of his career. He also wore the number 45 for a brief period of time after returning to basketball following his baseball career.
But, many people don’t know that he was forced to wear the number 12 for one game against the Orlando Magic in 1999. Prior to the game, someone actually went into the locker room and stole Jordan’s jersey, so he had to find another one.
Childhood Idol
Countless kids have looked up to Jordan since he entered the NBA over 30 years ago, but his idol growing up was Magic Johnson. In fact, he used to be called “Magic Jordan” when he was a kid.
Scared of Water
There’s not a lot that Jordan is scared of, but he does have a phobia of water. He witnessed a friend drown when he was a child and he nearly drowned at baseball camp a few years later. Because of these incidents, Jordan is still nervous on boats or near water.
Didn’t Make Varsity
It’s hard to imagine Jordan not being a superstar right from the get-go, but it did take him a little while to become great. In fact, he tried out for his high school varsity basketball team as a sophomore but ended up not making it in place of his friend. He played on the JV team that year instead.
Donated His Salary
After returning to basketball for the second time in 2001 with the Washington Wizards, Jordan decided to donate his salary to the victims of 9/11.
Was Almost Sponsored by Adidas
Jordan’s name is synonymous with Nike these days, especially thanks to his Air Jordan sneakers, but that deal almost didn’t happen. As it turns out, Jordan actually wanted to sign with Adidas, which was his favorite brand at the time.
However, Nike offered a deal of $500,000 annually, a massive deal at the time. Jordan was still interested in Adidas, and even went back to them, but they weren’t able to financially meet Nike’s offer. You have to imagine Adidas regrets that move now!
Jordan Broke the Dress Code
Believe it or not, Jordan’s signature red and black Air Jordan’s were against the NBA dress code back in the day. In fact, Jordan was forced to pay a fine for wearing them every time he stepped onto the court.