Magic Johnson On Michael Jordan’s Mother: “She’s Just A Powerful Quiet Presence”

Magic Johnson opened up on the positive influence that Michael Jordan's mother had over his son's career.

5 Min Read

Credit: Fadeaway World

Michael Jordan was put on the path of being the greatest NBA player ever by the people that surrounded him. The biggest influence on his career from day one has been his mother, Deloris Jordan. Magic Johnson recently spoke about Deloris on the Jennifer Hudson show, calling her a ‘powerful quiet presence’ behind MJ.

(Starts at 2:00)

Jennifer Hudson: “My dream is to meet his mother.”

Magic Johnson: “First class. She’s just a powerful quiet presence. She has that presence that is powerful but also sweet. Just a great person. She’s a blessing to others too. The foundation work and everything that Michael was able to do, she created it, built it, ran it, did a wonderful job.”

Deloris Jordan has never taken center-stage during her son’s incredible career but she did guide him in the right direction from day one. The biggest influence she had over Jordan’s career was convincing him to meet with Nike instead of signing with Adidas in 1984, something that set his family and generations to come with billion-dollar wealth with Nike

Veteran comedian Chris Tucker has explained the story in detail, and we also saw it in the recent Matt Damon movie ‘Air’, where Deloris is played by Viola Davis,

“His mama. His mama made him go to all the different shoe companies, you know the meeting and stuff. With Converse and Adidas. He didn’t wanna go to Nike because they were like third-rated. You know in ’84, it was Adidas, Puma, or Converse. It wasn’t Nike. Nike was a jogging shoe. So Michael’s mom said, ‘You’re going to all these meetings. You got to see what they got to offer’ and they were a third-rate in basketball, but of course, it was big in jogging. But they got the percentage of the shoe and I know she loved me. So this movie is about Dad, mom, relationship and business.”

Outside of the Nike influence, there are plenty of stories about how Deloris kept her son on the right track. This includes a story where she convinced MJ to keep his focus on basketball after he was cut from his junior varsity team. There are stories of her disciplining a young Jordan too, but always being fair. It’s clear that without her influence, Jordan might not have been able to scale the heights we know he has.


Who Is Michael Jordan’s Mother?

Deloris Jordan was born in September 1941 in North Carolina as Deloris Peoples, with her name changing when she got married to a schoolmate on the basketball team, James Raymond Jordan. They got married in 1957, with Michael being born as their third child in 1963. 

She is much more than just the mother of Michael Jordan, as Magic alluded to as well. She has established multiple charities and served as the President and Founder of the James R. Jordan Foundation for almost two decades. The Foundation seeks to provide economic upliftment to youth in poverty by empowering them. This is achieved by creating networks of support for families and communities, motivating youth, and ensuring high-quality academic opportunities for youth in under-served communities

She also established the Kenya Women and Children’s Wellness Centre in Kenya while also being honored with the Clinton Global Initiative Award in 2005. She is a true philanthropist who has used her platform to do a lot of good in society. At age 83, she continues to give back to the community through various programs.

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Ishaan Bhattacharya is a content manager for Fadeaway World from New Delhi, India. With his expertise in NBA content creation, Ishaan brings a wealth of experience to his role, contributing to the site's authority and reach within the basketball community. Over the last year, Ishaan has interviewed Ray Allen and Mark Tatum, while also covering the 2023 NBA Abu Dhabi Games which saw the Dallas Mavericks take on the Minnesota Timberwolves.Since joining Fadeaway World in March 2022, Ishaan Bhattacharya has become known for his unique perspective on the NBA. He consistently delivers this insight through his daily news coverage and detailed opinion pieces on the most significant topics in the league.Before his tenure at Fadeaway World, Ishaan worked in corporate communications, where he serviced prominent sports brands, including NBA India, Sports18, Amazon Prime Sports, and Royal Challengers Bangalore. This experience in strategic communications for leading sports entities has enhanced his ability to craft impactful narratives and connect with a global audience.A true MFFLer (Mavs Fan for Life, for the uninitiated), Ishaan is a massive fan of the Dallas Mavericks. When he is not upset about Jalen Brunson walking in free agency, you can see Ishaan as an avid gamer and content creator. His passion for basketball extends beyond the Mavericks, as evidenced by his thoughtfully curated NBA Mount Rushmore, featuring LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Bill Russell—each representing distinct eras and bringing their unique qualities to the game.Featured On: ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Bleacher ReportYahoo Sports, NBA, Fox Sports, The Spun
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