Though not a true native, its hard to hear the name Michael Jordan and not think "Chicago." In reality, he's a New Yorker. Michael Jeffrey Jordan was born in Brooklyn on February 17, 1963, but he wasn't there long; his family moved to Wilmington, North Carolina when he was still very young. The fourth of five children, Michael has two older brothers, an older sister, and a younger sister. His father worked at an electric plant, and his mother at a bank, to provide the large family with a comfortable lifestyle.

Its easy to believe that Michael played baseball, basketball, and football as a child. He initially enjoyed baseball the most, but that changed as he logged in more hours on the basketball court. His older (and taller) brother Larry consistently beat him at one-on-one, and Michael's competitive nature showed itself early. He was determined to become a better player.

Ironically, Jordan was cut from the Laney High School varsity team in Wilmington in 1978. But instead of defeating him, this only fueled his drive to become better. Between his sophomore and junior years, Michael grew an amazing four inches, from 5'11" to 6'3", and his basketball game improved greatly. In fact, he made the team his junior year and did so well that he was asked to play at the Five-Star Camp in Pittsburgh the summer before his senior year.

By the time he graduated, Michael was 6'5" and had earned a basketball scholarship at the University of North Carolina. We was quickly a hit there, and his popularity skyrocketed when he scored the last-minute, game-winning shot to win the NCAA Championship in 1982 against the Georgetown Hoyas. He was selected college player of the year for the 1983/84 season, and in 1984 he led the United States basketball team to a gold medal at the Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

Two months after the Olympics, Michael played his first regular-season game with the Chicago Bulls, having been chosen in the first round. His grace, power, and on-court improvisational ability led him to the hoop for score after score, as well as to a slew of high-profile, lucrative marketing endorsements. He'd joined a team that, prior to his arrival, had won only 28 games in the previous season; he easily stood out. Michael finished his first season (1984/85) as one of the top scorers in the league, with an average of 28.2 points per game. He was also named rookie of the year, and made the first of his nine All-Star game appearances.

Amazingly, Michael went on to lead the Bulls to three consecutive World Championships (1991, 1992, and 1993). In addition to his three league Most Valuable Player awards (1988, 1991, 1992), Jordan won the All-Star game MVP award twice (1988, 1996) and a record three-consecutive NBA championship series MVP awards (1991-1993). Michael was also a member of the United States Olympic basketball team, known as the "Dream Team," which captured the gold medal at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain.

Undoubtedly the best player in the world, he gave up basketball and retired prior to the 1993/94 season after his father was mysteriously murdered. Rumors were also beginning to circulate about his supposed addiction to gambling. He repeatedly stated that he'd lost his love of the game.

Michael now sought a new challenge: professional baseball. He played outfielder for the "Birmingham Barons," the Chicago White Sox farm team. It was painfully obvious, though, that his professional sports talents didn't translate well from basketball to baseball.

Michael made a surprise return to the Bulls in 1995. He missed most of that regular season, and the Bulls didn't win the Championship. In the 1995/96 season he enjoyed a great year, leading the NBA in scoring with 30.4 points per game and being named league MVP. The Bulls also became the first NBA team to win 70 games in a season, finishing with 72 victories, and they went on to win the 1996 NBA championship title. Jordan was named MVP of the NBA finals, becoming the first player to earn the honor four times. Michael Jordan was back. That year he also starred alongside Bugs Bunny in the hit Warner Brothers animated film, "Space Jam."

Michael decided to retire, again, after winning the Championship, again, in 1999; but he wasn't finished shocking his fans. Universally understood as the best man to ever play basketball, he stepped off the court and into the head office when he announced that he'd be the President of Basketball Operations for the Washington Wizards. Even with Michael running the show, the Wizards had a disappointing season (you can only do so much with what you have to work with).

Amazingly, Michael Jordan wasn't done surprising his fans. He incredibly returned to the court once again in the 2001/02 season, as a Washington Wizard. One can only imagine what he still has up his sleeve. Go Bulls!