Michael Jordan was born on February 17, 1963, in Brooklyn, New York, and while he was still a toddler, his parents moved to Wilmington, North Carolina. Jordan played baseball, basketball and football as a child. He loved baseball, but his love for basketball began to grow when his older brother, Larry, continued to beat him in one-on-one games. Because of this, Jordan was determined to become a better basketball player. Jordan played basketball for Laney High School in Wilmington, North Carolina. Ironically, he was cut from the varsity team his sophomore year. Instead of giving up after not making the team, Jordan used it to encourage himself to do better, spending hours on the basketball court. He said that every time he was training and he was tired, and he thought he should stop, he would just imagine the list in the locker room without his name on it, and that was enough to restart it. Jordan eventually made the team and led them to the state championship. After high school, Jordan accepted a basketball scholarship to the University of North Carolina. As a freshman, Jordan's popularity increased when he scored the game-winning shot in the 1982 NCAA championship game against Georgetown. He was selected college player of the year in the 1983-84 season and led the United States men's basketball team to an Olympic gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics. , Jordan went to the NBA. He was selected third in the draft by the Chicago Bulls. Jordan played his first game as a professional against Washington on October 26, 1984. He made an immediate impact on the league and proved that he belonged among the elite players. Jordan finished his rookie season as one of the league's top scorers, averaging 28.2 points per game. He was named ...... middle of paper ...... on January 4, 2002 against his former team, the Chicago Bulls. . Unfortunately, Jordan was never able to lead his Wizards to the playoffs as a player. He retired for the third and final time after playing his last game on April 16, 2003. There is no doubt that Michael Jordan is the greatest player to ever play the game. He single-handedly redefined the basketball. No player in NBA history has accomplished so much in no time. He is a five-time league MVP, ten-time scoring champion, six-time Finals MVP and home to six NBA championships. This time, Michael Jordan left basketball on his own terms. His return was to scratch an itch and teach younger players how to play the game. He finished his career with 32,292 points and an average of 30.12 points per game, the best in NBA history. Jordan officially passed the torch to young stars.