“Was James Jordan a Sadist?!”: Michael Jordan’s Biography Unveils Freakish Ways His Father Used His Older Brother to Make Him Competitive

Nithin Joseph | 13/10/2022
"Was James Jordan a Sadist?!": Michael Jordan's Biography Unveils Freakish Ways His Father Used His Older Brother to Make Him Competitive

Michael Jordan was a great athlete growing up as a child in North Carolina. However, his efforts weren’t always appreciated by his father.

The NBA was introduced to the greatest player in the history of the league back in 1984 when the Chicago Bulls selected Michael Jordan as the third overall pick.

Jordan was a natural athlete and always one of the best on all his teams leading up to his NBA days. From high school to the North Carolina Tar Heels.

However, despite being the best of the best, MJ never really got the attention he wanted from his father until pretty late on in his life. In fact, it was probably this need for attention that motivated him to be the best for a long, long time.

Also Read: “Mr. Baseball in North Carolina”: 12-Year-Old Michael Jordan Was the Best Ball Player in the Entire State

James Jordan’s decision to dote on his eldest son motivated Michael Jordan to become the best

If there is one thing fans know about Michael Jordan’s childhood, it’s that he lived in a very competitive household. So much so, that he had to fight for his father’s attention.

As outlined in the book, ‘Michael Jordan: The Life’ by Roland Lazenby, MJ struggled to get his father to notice him. Even when he outperformed his brother Larry, James Jordan Sr. wouldn’t notice him.

It was probably this that motivated Jordan to continue to improve himself. All so that his father would acknowledge him.

Fortunately for the basketball world, it seemed to work, as His Airness would become one of the greatest players of all time. Safe to say, James Jordan played a pivotal role in the six-time champion’s career.

Michael Jordan decided to switch to baseball after his father passed away

In 1993, James Jordan Sr. sadly passed away after he was shot and murdered while sleeping in his car. A huge fan of baseball, Michael Jordan decided to honor his father by moving away from the sport he loved and switching to professional baseball.

Granted, MJ would return to basketball a year later, but his decision to honor his father’s memory cannot be criticized. He truly was and is one of the greatest.

Also Read: “Why Don’t We Call Him Rabbit?”: Michael Jordan’s Father James Jordan Lied About His Son’s Childhood Nickname

Post Edited By: Tonoy Sengupta
James Jordan Michael Jordan

About the author

Nithin Joseph

Nithin is a content writer at The SportsRush. Like his favorite athlete Kobe Bryant, the company has helped Nithin elevate his writing skills to a whole new level, especially as an NBA content writer. With over 1500 articles to his name, Nithin's love for the sport knows no bounds. And, as he continues to watch the sport on a daily basis, he hopes his fascination with the NBA, especially the Miami Heat will inspire more and more readers to give the sport a chance. Perhaps, one day making basketball in India as big as it is in the United States.

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