Buzz
The sports documentary miniseries The Last Dance became a massive hit, captivating audiences worldwide as it wrapped up on Netflix. This compelling series offered an in-depth look at the greatness of Michael Jordan and the iconic 1990s Chicago Bulls.
However, some fascinating and lesser-known facts didn’t make it into the final version of the documentary.
10. He hails from New York
Many don’t know that Michael Jordan was born in Brooklyn, New York, at Cumberland Hospital. His family didn’t stay in the city for long, though. When he was just a toddler, his parents, James and Delores, relocated to Wilmington, North Carolina, where Jordan’s passion for basketball took root. The Jordans only lived in New York for 18 months, as James Jordan Sr. was pursuing mechanic training under the GI Bill, studying airplane hydraulics.
Michael Jordan's early years were spent in North Carolina, so he never truly considered New York his home. After his basketball career with both the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards, Jordan acquired a stake in the Charlotte Bobcats, in his home state. He still holds a majority share in the team, now known as the Charlotte Hornets, after they reclaimed their original name in 2014. This connection to North Carolina remains strong for him.
9. He grew four inches in one summer as a teenager
During his sophomore year at Emsley A. Laney High School in Wilmington, Jordan tried out for the varsity basketball team but was deemed too short at 5'11" (180 cm). With his father standing at 5'9" and his mother at 5'6", his chances seemed slim.
But the following summer, Jordan experienced an impressive growth spurt, gaining four inches (10 cm) to reach 6'2". He had already begun making waves on the junior varsity team and worked relentlessly to earn a spot on the varsity team. This sudden growth only worked in his favor. He succeeded, began putting up impressive numbers, grew to 6'3", and eventually played in the 1981 McDonald's All-American Game. College basketball was next on his journey.
8. He majored in cultural geography in college
With his exceptional talent, Michael Jordan secured a basketball scholarship at the University of North Carolina in 1981. It may seem surprising, but Jordan enrolled in a Bachelor of Arts program with a major in Geography. During his first semester in the fall of 1981, he took courses such as Basic Writing, Selected Math, Beginning Tennis, and Elementary Portuguese.
After making a name for himself by dominating college basketball and winning a gold medal at the 1984 Olympics, Jordan chose to forgo his final year and entered the 1984 NBA Draft. He was drafted by the Chicago Bulls but later returned to North Carolina in 1986 to finish his Geography degree. His interest in cultural geography is believed to have stemmed from a 1983 trip to Venezuela with the US Pan American team.
7. The Meaning Behind His Number 23
The number 23 has become iconic, inspiring countless athletes in various sports, including soccer’s David Beckham, cricket’s Shane Warne, and basketball star LeBron James. But why did Michael Jordan choose the number 23?
For Michael, the number carried deep sentimental value, as his older brother Larry, who was 11 months his senior, was his role model. Larry played for their high school varsity basketball team and wore number 45. When Michael made the team, he decided to halve that number, choosing 23. Fortunately, 22.5 wasn't available.
Throughout his NBA career, MJ wore both number 23 and number 45, as famously shown in The Last Dance. After his first retirement, Jordan returned to the league, donning the number 45. However, during the 1994-95 NBA Eastern Conference semi-finals, he switched back to number 23 after a comment from Orlando’s Nick Anderson, who said, 'number 45 doesn’t explode like number 23 used to.'
6. He once wore number 12 in the NBA
A quirky moment in Michael Jordan’s career occurred during a game against the Orlando Magic in the 1989-90 NBA season when he wore number 12. The story goes that Jordan’s jersey was stolen from the visitors’ locker room at Orlando’s Amway Arena sometime between Chicago’s morning shoot-around and their pre-game arrival around 4:30pm.
Despite the locker room being locked securely, Jordan’s jersey mysteriously disappeared, leading to an arena-wide search. It’s even said that a public address announcement was made across the venue asking fans to donate a Jordan jersey that would fit him! Nothing came of it, and although Jordan was frustrated by the missing jersey, he played in an unmarked number 12 shirt. He scored 49 points, but the Bulls lost the game 135-129.
A recent Orlando Magic video claimed that one of the Bulls' staff members masterminded a plot to steal Jordan's number 23 jersey through a ceiling tile.
5. He had a 'Love of the Game' clause in his contract
When Jordan started his NBA career, he had a unique clause in his first contract with the Chicago Bulls that allowed him to play basketball whenever and wherever he wanted, with anyone. It’s surprising that general manager Jerry Krause approved this, given the injury risks, but Jordan kept it in place because of his undying passion for the game.
This clause was applicable in any scenario, from exhibition games to casual pickup games. During his high school years in Wilmington, Jordan spent endless hours at Empie Park, challenging anyone who would play. He embraced the playground game throughout his college years and continued to do so after graduation, participating in alumni games in 1986 and 1987.
It’s believed that the clause was eventually removed in the 1990s due to a new collective bargaining agreement. However, during the filming of 'Space Jam' in 1995, Warner Brothers built a basketball facility for Jordan to play in, which was featured in The Last Dance. The facility hosted matches with NBA stars like Reggie Miller. Jordan's love for playing—and winning—was evident.
4. The Miami Heat retired his number
Yes, you read that correctly. The Miami Heat, a team for which Jordan never played a single game, retired his number 23. Incredibly, this was the first time in franchise history that the Heat had ever retired a jersey number.
The Heat made this gesture before Jordan’s final game at their home arena, the American Airlines Arena, on April 11, 2003. They unveiled a jersey that was split, one half representing Chicago and the other Washington.
Heat coach Pat Riley made a heartfelt statement at mid-court: 'In honor of your greatness and for all you’ve done for the game of basketball—and not just the NBA, but for all the fans around the world—we want to honor you tonight and hang your jersey, number 23, from the rafters. No one will ever wear number 23 for the Miami Heat. You’re the best.' The Heat are the only team other than Chicago to retire his number.
3. The same wedding venue as the Trumps
Jordan’s second wife, Cuban-American model Yvette Prieto, did not make an appearance in The Last Dance. In fact, his first wife, Juanita Vanoy, was also completely absent, and his children barely featured either. Jordan met Prieto years after his playing career ended. They first locked eyes in a nightclub in 2007 when Michael was 44.
In 2009, Prieto moved to Miami, where she and Jordan began living together. By Christmas of 2011, the NBA icon proposed, and the couple eventually married in 2013 in Florida. Notable guests at the event included Tiger Woods and Spike Lee, with performances by Robin Thicke and Usher.
The wedding took place at Bethesda-by-the-Sea, an Episcopal church, which had also hosted the wedding of Donald Trump and Melania in 2005. Jordan and Prieto later became parents to two children.
2. He donated a significant lawsuit settlement to charity
In 2015, after a protracted six-year legal battle, Jordan secured a multimillion-dollar settlement in a case against Dominick’s and Jewel-Osco supermarkets for using his name without permission in a 2009 Sports Illustrated advertisement. The exact amount of the settlement remains undisclosed, but it followed an earlier jury verdict in which he won US$8.9m from Dominick’s, indicating the settlement was substantial.
Jordan pledged to donate the entire settlement amount, after legal fees, to charity. 'The 23 charities I’ve selected all focus on supporting the health, education, and well-being of children in Chicago,' Jordan explained. 'Chicago has given me so much, and I want to give back to the city’s future — its kids.' For Jordan, this case was not about money, but rather about defending his image rights.
1. His divorce remains the largest celebrity settlement in history
Michael Jordan tied the knot with his first wife, Juanita Vanoy, in 1989. The couple separated in 2002, reconciled briefly, but eventually divorced in 2006. The divorce settlement was reported to be worth US$168 million, making it the largest on Forbes’ list of ‘The 10 Most Expensive Celebrity Divorces’. By 2009, Forbes valued Jordan’s net worth at US$525 million.
Although there were allegations of infidelity during the marriage, both parties’ legal representatives stated that the split was 'mutual and amicable.' In addition to the US$168 million settlement, Jordan paid over US$2 million in legal fees.
Since then, actor Mel Gibson and Robyn Moore surpassed Jordan’s record with an even more expensive divorce settlement.
