Michael Jordan is known to most people as the GOAT, the man that took the NBA to unprecedented heights and won everything possible while doing so. Jordan dominated like few in the history of sports have, let alone basketball, his aura and influence were second to none during the 90s. And it wasn’t just the success on the court that made Jordan who he was; it was the success off of it as well.
MJ became a billionaire and now owns the Charlotte Hornets, he is one of the richest people in the world. Money hasn’t been a problem for him since he exploded onto the scene, but despite his vast success in business, he has never been one to flaunt it. Jordan was influenced significantly, and they made a huge point of keeping him humble and ensuring he did the things that were best for him.
Michael Jordan’s Mother Deloris Called In A Favor When He Was Young To Get Him A Job
It’s hard to imagine Air Jordan doing anything other than playing basketball, but he held a real job when he was younger. His mother, who was the driving force behind him choosing Nike, also wanted her son to have some perspective in life. So she called in a favor to get him a job as a hotel maintenance man before he joined the NBA. The story was detailed in Roland Lazenby’s book, Michael Jordan: The Life.
“As Michael Jordan was rising through the state of North Carolina for his basketball skills, James Jordan and Deloris had their own worries. They wanted their son to learn what it meant to hold a job, so they spent a long time berating their son.
“The urgency of the whole situation finally caused Deloris to call in a favor. Whitey Prevatte, a hotel and restaurant owner, upon Deloris’ urging, agreed to give MJ a job.
“The role of Jordan’s occupation involved cleaning, painting, and changing AC filters among other odd things. In his own words, he was a maintenance man and the job paid only $3.1 an hour. That was the only job Michael ever worked. He ended up playing in the NBA not much later.
“’I was a hotel maintenance man I was cleaning out pools, painting rails, changing air-conditioner filters, and sweeping out the back room,’ Michael Jordan said.”
The wealth he made later in life makes a job paying $3 an hour look ridiculous. But it also explains why MJ never got too carried away with his success, he spoke about people never expected him to reach the heights he did. The GOAT only grew his legacy as his career went on and even after he retired. It’s safe to say he might not have been one of the most successful athletes ever if he didn’t have the perspectives he did.
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