Michael Jordan Once Credited His Parents, Deloris And James Jordan, For His Work Ethic

Michael Jordan was brutal, ruthless, and a lion on the court, but many forget that Jordan was also a fox when it came to business. It was all due to what his parents had instilled in him since childhood.

When asked about his work ethic, Jordan credited his parents for teaching him a lifestyle that helped him become great at what he did. For the Bulls legend, practice was as important as on-the-court work, and it was an opportunity to build on the game.  

“I practiced like I played. So when I played, playing was fun. Practice is work…so when the game comes, you showcase it and you utilize it. You build your game on it. Practice wasn’t just a place to take time off. You work on things in practice,” Jordan said in Cigar Aficionado in 2005.

His seriousness in practice was so intense that the NBA writer for the Bulls, Sam Smith, wrote a book titled “The Jordan Rules”. The book also alluded to Jordan’s “tyrannical” behavior in order to push his teammates to be better.

Michael Jordan’s Parents Are The Reason We Have Nike Air Jordan

Michael Jordan dominates the signature basketball shoe market, and it isn’t close. But his ending up with Nike and having his signature shoe would have been a dream never realized, had it not been for his parents pushing him for the deal. During the time Jordan signed with Nike, Converse was the biggest shoe brand in basketball. It was impossible for Mike to be the face of the brand, which already had Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. Jordan wanted Adidas, but the company didn’t want to give him his signature shoe.

Reportedly, his agent, David Falk, contacted his mother to push Michael to visit the Nike campus and hear what they had to say. Left with no choice, the Hall of Fame player visited the campus and was offered $250,000 and a signature shoe. “My father said, ‘You’d have to be a fool not taking this deal. This is the best deal,’” Jordan said in “The Last Dance”.