Michael Jordan: 12 facts to celebrate for his 61st birthday

By Ryan Bisesi, WRAL multiplatform producer

Raleigh, N.C. — Saturday is Michael Jordan's 61st birthday.

Jordan's ruthless competitiveness, fiery on-court demeanor and unrivaled accomplishments all make him one of the most celebrated athletes in history.

Jordan keeps many ties to North Carolina, where his legacy is part of our state's rich basketball history. His progression from lanky kid coming up the ranks at Laney High School to college stardom at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to becoming the biggest celebrity in the world at one point is a timeless success story and nod to the American dream.

We've gathered a list of some interesting storylines about the life and times of His Airness.

1. The flu game

A sickened Jordan pushed himself to a 38-point performance in Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals in Utah to give the Bulls the series lead in one of the more seminal moments of his career. The lasting image of Jordan leaning on Scottie Pippen as he came off the floor is an all-time finals memory. Many dubbed this "the flu game," but Jordan explained on "The Last Dance" that he was actually sick from food poisoning after some late-night pizza the night before.

The event came to embody Jordan's mystique, status as a clutch performer and force of personality as much as anything. Jordan said fighting off near-exhaustion for the feat was "probably the most difficult thing I've ever done."

2. What did "Republicans buy sneakers too" mean?

Between his partnerships with Nike, McDonald's, Gatorade and Rayovac, Jordan wasn't short on endorsements in his prime. He cashed in on his influence as the game's greatest player by maxing out his appeal to advertisers. His marketability in the 90s was second to none and his “Republicans buy sneakers, too” comment to teammates seemed to suggest he didn't want to risk taking a stand on a controversial issue at the expense of profitability.

With all that said, you can only be compelled to do what you're called to do. MJ didn't feel he was meant to be in the political arena, a contrast from some of today's athletes who have been outspoken about social issues, political leaders and current events.

Jordan has clarified that he made the comment in jest, but understood that others interpreted it as selfish.

Jordan said his mother asked him to make a public endorsement for Harvey Gantt, who was running against Jesse Helms in the 1990 North Carolina U.S. Senate election. Gantt lost, but made an impact in his quest to be the first African American to represent North Carolina in that capacity. Jordan said he never gave a formal endorsement of Gantt, but did make a donation toward his campaign.

Jordan was sometimes compared to Muhammad Ali in terms of stature and importance, but spoke to the differences between Ali and him during "The Last Dance."

“I do commend Muhammad Ali for standing up for what he believed in," Jordan said. "But I never thought of myself as an activist. I thought of myself as a basketball player. I wasn’t a politician when I was playing my sport. I was focused on my craft. Was that selfish? Probably. But that was my energy. That’s where my energy was.”

In 2020, Jordan and the Jordan brand pledged to donate $100 million over 10 years to racial equality causes. In 2023, he donated $10 million to Make-A-Wish America.

3. Wrapping himself in the flag

Jordan was devoted to Nike throughout his career, leading to possible conflict when the 1992 Olympic "Dream Team" members wore jackets with Reebok logos at the medal ceremony. He used an American flag to cover up the Reebok logo and protect the partnership. Charles Barkley, who also had an endorsement deal with Nike, and Magic Johnson, who was sponsored by Converse, helped him carry the flag. Barkley and Johnson didn't want to flaunt the Reebok logo, but didn't want to desecrate the marking on the tracksuit.

“The American flag cannot deface anything," Jordan said when asked about the move. "That’s what we stand for. The American dream is standing up for what you believe in. I believed in it, and I stood up for it. If I offended anyone, that’s too bad.”

4. Did he really not make his high school team?

For years, whenever people needed a pick-me up in the face of adversity, many a North Carolinian has referenced a tale of Jordan not being selected for his high school team before rising to legend status. That's actually not completely accurate. Jordan wasn't selected for the varsity team as a sophomore at Laney High in Wilmington. He was thin and around 5-foot-10, leading the coach to choose Jordan for the junior varsity squad.

He grew several inches in the following months and continued to hone his skills, making the varsity team next season. The rest is history.

5. "The Last Dance" resurfaces MJ to the top of the public consciousness

Jordan's much-anticipated 10-part series was scheduled to be aired after the 2020 NBA Finals and a trailer premiered in late 2018 to lots of fanfare. However, when COVID hit the world in the spring, all major pro and college sports hit pause, leaving a hunger for sports-related content. Many networks replayed classic games to give fans a taste of what they were missing with the NCAA Tournament and NBA/NHL playoffs put on hold.

Enter "The Last Dance," which chronicled the rise of Jordan as an athlete and the fanaticism around the 1990's Chicago Bulls dynasty. Jordan doesn't do any many public appearances these days and did minimal promotion for the series, especially with it being released at the onset of the COVID pandemic. Without much else going on in the entertainment world, Jordan had been thrust back into the spotlight.

Jordan gave his rationale for many parts of his personality, including his competitive spirit that he inflicted on those around him. The release of the documentary came at a time when Jordan was 17 years removed from his playing career and 22 years since he'd been a Chicago Bull, giving many around the game time to absorb his impact with a new perspective.

"You ask all my teammates, the one thing about Michael Jordan was that he never asked me to do something that he didn't do," he said in the documentary.

6. A meme is born

When Jordan was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009, he got emotional several times during his acceptance speech. A photo taken of the tear-stained Jordan during the speech gained life as a form of mockery online.

Since then, it's become a commonly-used meme on the internet and is synonymous with athletic failures. For many non-sports fans, this became their reference point for Jordan.

Jordan even acknowledged it during a speech at Kobe Bryant's memorial, joking that the scene could lead to a new meme.

"I told my wife I wasn't going to do this because I didn't want to see that for the next three or four years," he joked at the memorial.

7. "The Ceiling is the Roof"

Sometimes the sky is the limit. Other times, the ceiling is the roof.

Jordan was at the Duke/UNC basketball game on March 4, 2017, to celebrate the football team's move to Jumpman brand apparel and uniforms. He then described the football team's potential, claiming "the ceiling is the roof," which seemed somewhat head-scratching, but somewhat inspiring.

The catch phrase became a trendy T-shirt purchase for Heels fans, who were validated a month later as the basketball team won the national championship.

8. The no-look free throw

Before the term "flex" became a thing, Jordan occasionally deployed a well-deserved swagger. Well before the era of player empowerment, it was then seen as more of a grace extended to him as the undisputed greatest player of his era.

In an early-season game in Denver in 1991, Jordan had a little fun with then-rookie Dikembe Mutombo.

"Hey Mutombo, this one's for you, baby!" he said before closing his eyes and swishing a free throw.

Jordan finished that game hitting all seven of his foul shots and scored 37 points. The right-handed Jordan also hit a free-throw using his left hand in Atlanta later in his career with Mutombo again on the floor.

9. Resilience was a calling card

Jordan did retire twice in his career and return, leading many to wonder what his statistical accomplishments would look like if he had played from age 22 to 40 with no interruptions. But during the long 82-game season, his ability to play through pain and avoid injury was critical to his legacy. Jordan played in all 82 games in 9 of 15 seasons in his career. Jordan played in all 82 games in his final season at 40 years old.

Much is made of load management in the current NBA world, where players will sometimes sit out regular season games to cut down on the demands of a full season. For reference to some of today's more experienced players, Jordan played for 15 seasons while LeBron James is in his 20th season, Chris Paul is in his 19th season, Kevin Durant is in his 16th season and Stephen Curry is in his 15th season.

10. Yer a Wizard, Michael!

Jordan played with the Washington Wizards at ages 38, 39 and 40. He announced a comeback in the fall of 2001 after being hired as the Wizards' general manager in 2000. As the NBA inherited a new crop of stars, Jordan wasn't considered a top-tier player anymore, but he was still formidable. As time has passed, fans and media have developed a new appreciation for his accomplishments.

Although his ability to create his own shot and keep the signature intensity on the defensive end of the floor diminished, Jordan retained his savvy and skill to be an All-Star-level player before leaving the court.

During the two seasons in DC, Jordan averaged 21.2 points, 4.4 assists and 5.9 rebounds per game in 142 games. He even dropped a 51-point game in December 2001. While the team was among the eastern conference contenders for part of the season, a knee injury kept Jordan and the Wizards out of the playoffs that season for the first time in his career. The 2002-2003 version of the Wizards also did not make the playoffs.

11. He's a pretty good golfer

Jordan has played in many celebrity and professional golf events, including in the Triangle and North Carolina. PGA Tour winner Keegan Bradley spoke about Jordan's love for the sport on the Pardon My Take podcast, claiming Jordan has even beaten him before.

“That dude plays 36 holes, 300 days a year. I’ve never met anyone who loves golf more than him,” Bradley said.

12. Striking out

Jordan's venture into professional baseball, a long-held dream of his, was not a continuation, or an expansion of his stardom in the midst of his athletic and cultural zenith. Jordan played a season with the Double-A Birmingham Barons, hitting .202 with three home runs and 51 RBI. Outside of his 30 stolen bases, it was an unremarkable exercise that led many to question the pursuit.

The struggles came to a head in a Sports Illustrated cover story, featuring a headline that said "Bag It, Michael!" The subhead read "Jordan and The White Sox Are Embarassing Baseball."

Jordan reportedly was so angered by the cover story, he hasn't spoken with the magazine since the edition came out in March 1994.

WRAL's Bob Holliday and Jeff Gravley were part of the media frenzy in Sarasota, Florida, for White Sox spring training in 1994. Jordan claimed he didn't want to be a sideshow and understood he'd be held to the same standards as other players.

By most accounts it was a failure, but it humanized Jordan and led to a more triumphant rise when he returned to the NBA in March of 1995. When it happened, a release from agent David Falk sent to media outlets simply stated "I'm back."