10 surprising things you didn’t know about Michael Jordan

It’s safe to say that the NBA would have not exploded onto the global scene the way it did in the 1990s without the heroics of Michael Jordan. The living legend dazzled basketball fans with his play in previous decades, and his name lives on in sports royalty to the present day. We have 10 slam dunk facts about Jordan that are sure to score points with you and your friends.

Most people know that Jordan left the NBA in the prime of his career to play minor league baseball with a Chicago White Sox minor league affiliate. However, many might not realize that his manager with the Birmingham Barons was none other than Terry Francona.

Francona is one of the winningest managers in MLB history, and was the skipper of the Boston Red Sox when they overcame the curse by winning the World Series in 2004. Francona told WKYC of his time managing Jordan in Birmingham, “he was so respectful of the game of baseball that he made it work in all aspects.”

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Sports fans of a certain age know Jordan’s iconic Gatorade commercial by heart. It has a catchy tune that reinforced the idea that children, and yes some adults, wanted to be like Michael Jordan in the 1990s. However, many people might not realize that the song wasn’t the first musical choice for the commercial.

According to ESPN’s Darren Rovell, the original idea was to use “I Wan’na Be Like You” from The Jungle Book in the commercial. However, the price tag to acquire and use the song was too expensive, so advertising executives had to think of something else. Instead, Bernie Pitzel came up with the “Be Like Mike” lyrics while having dinner at an Italian restaurant.

Jordan is most closely associated with Chicago and North Carolina, but he was actually born in Brooklyn, New York. Remarkably, Jordan and boxing legend Mike Tyson both got their start at Cumberland Hospital in Fort Greene.

Jordan only lived in New York for the first 18 months of his life before the family packed up and moved to North Carolina. Perhaps it's no coincidence that Jordan had some of his best games at Madison Square Garden in New York, as Jordan used to say that he wanted to play at his highest level at the Mecca of basketball.

Jordan’s appeal made its way to the big screen in 1996, as he starred in Space Jam. While he was on his way to becoming a movie star, Jordan didn’t want to lose sight of what made him great in the first place. He wanted to round back into basketball form after his baseball stint, and insisted that a regulation size basketball court was available near the film set.

As Slam Magazine noted, a court covered by an inflatable dome was brought to the VIP parking lot of Warner Brothers studio. Jordan didn’t just ask for the court to shoot around by himself; he wanted the game’s best to stop by to play scrimmage games. Other NBA players would routinely join Jordan in some of the greatest games the world has never seen.

Jordan loved proving people wrong, especially when they thought he couldn’t do something. He took this to the next level in a 1991 NBA game, when he swished a free throw with his eyes closed against the Denver Nuggets.

Jordan was going back and forth talking with Nuggets rookie Dikembe Mutombo, who once told BroBible that he told Jordan he could never dunk on him. Jordan relished the trash talk, and decided to make a point for the young player. The no-look free throw moment was aimed at Mutombo, who laughed about it years later.

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Dennis Rodman was known for marching to the beat of his own drum. During the middle of the 1997-1998 season, Chicago Bulls head coach Phil Jackson allowed Rodman to leave the team for two days to blow off some steam. The only problem was, Rodman didn’t come back after the agreed upon time frame. That’s where Jordan comes in.

Rodman sat down for an interview with Essentially Sports, saying “fourth day, I am partying my rear end off. And who comes to Vegas to pick me up? Michael Jordan. He said ‘Dennis you got to come back and play.’ So I agreed.”

While professional athletes are known for regimented dietary plans, Jordan would indulge himself with McDonald's more often than people might realize. Stacey King was a former teammate of Jordan’s with the Bulls and once said during a broadcast that the legend would eat a sausage McMuffin before every practice.

Jordan’s name has close ties with the fast food brand. McDonald's released a limited edition McJordan meal, which The Takeout covered in more detail. The burger had a quarter pound patty with bacon, barbecue sauce, mustard, onions, cheese and pickles. It also came with French fries and a drink.

Sports fans are aware of Jordan’s ownership stints with the Washington Wizards and Charlotte Bobcats/Hornets. However, his time as an NHL owner isn’t discussed that frequently. He was a minority owner of the Washington Capitals for a brief period from 2000 to 2001. Former Capitals player Jeff Halpern told ESPN, “I remember thinking that it was the greatest thing ever.”

Former Capitals co-owner Jonathan Ledecky told ESPN, “I think Michael was impressed by the aerobic nature of the athlete in hockey. That the athlete was out there for 45 seconds and then the shift was done.”

Fans of the Chicago Bulls and later the Washington Wizards were treated to Jordan’s greatness on a nightly basis, and knew how special their experience was. Jordan loved his hometown fans, but he admitted after his basketball days were over that he actually liked playing away from home a little bit more.

Jordan told Stephen Curry in an interview, “I’d rather be on the road. I love playing on the road. It seems as through your concentration level is much, much better. You know that you’re not expected to win so that you could have the opportunity to prove the unknown and a lot of times when you play at home, you let your hair down, you get relaxed…”

As the 2023 movie Air dove into, Michael Jordan’s relationship with Nike dates back to 1984. It’s probably the single-greatest athlete-brand partnership ever. Both parties have been rewarded handsomely, and Jordan continues to reap the benefits.

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According to Sporting News, Jordan was paid $256 million from Nike in 2022, while Inc’s website reported that the NBA legend has made over $1.5 billion from his Nike Jordan Brand partnership.