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Michael Jordan made it look easy on the basketball court. But life before the NBA wasn't the easiest for Air Jordan.
On paper, Michael Jordan had a legendary arrival to the NBA. He starred at the University of North Carolina, even hitting a game-winning shot to win a national championship. He went on to become the third pick of the 1984 draft by the Chicago Bulls. Ask any young basketball fan today, and it's the dream path for a basketball career.
But life before North Carolina proved to be challenging for one of the all-time greatest. Growing up, Jordan's entire family consisted of family members who worked hard labor jobs. His sisters and brothers did everything from cropping tobacco to driving busses and working in department stores.
But MJ was the only one who didn't have a job. While his brothers and sisters worked to bring in money, Michael didn't focus on that. He wanted to focus on sports.
In an old article by GQ's David Breskin, Jordan shared that his mother once got him a job working maintenance in a hotel. Jordan admitted that he quit the job quickly and, from that moment on, never had another job. He said that he knew sports would one day be what brought in the money.
"One summer, my mom said, 'You just got to work,' and she got me a job as a maintenance man in a hotel," Michael remembers. "Man, I quit that job so quick! I just couldn't do it, I could not keep regular hours. It just wasn't me. From then on, I never, ever had another job."
Looking back on the career of NBA legend Michael Jordan
It was a remarkable path to the NBA for Michael Jordan. Especially for a player who almost had his basketball career stopped before it started.
Michael Jordan attended Laney High School and tried out for the varsity basketball team as a sophomore. He didn't end up making the team, resulting in Jordan growing frustrated at the time with the sport. At the time, Jordan was a 5-foot-10 15-year-old.
The following summer, Jordan grew four inches and then went on to become a star on the varsity team, gaining the attention of Dean Smith and the North Carolina Tar Heels.
From there, Jordan would begin his path towards becoming one of the greatest superstars in NBA history. The journey started with the North Carolina Tar Heels, with Jordan having a sensational freshman year. The next chapter began with MJ winning Rookie of the Year with the Chicago Bulls. It ended with Jordan being considered one of the greatest basketball players of all time.
