“My father is 5’10 but the milkman is about 6’7”: When Michael Jordan joked about how he really got to be the tallest of the Jordan bunch with David Letterman

Michael Jordan hilariously insinuated that the milkman was his father after David Letterman asked him how he got to be as tall as 6’6. 

Michael Jordan would’ve dominated the game regardless of what his stature was, given what we know about the way he was wired when it came to accomplishing something he put his mind to. However, being 6’6 and having the handspan of someone who’s 7’6 surely helped the Bulls legend transcend to ‘GOAT’ status. 

Michael Jordan would routinely use his height to his advantage, especially during his later years with the Chicago Bulls and even the Washington Wizards. He wasn’t the tallest guard out there and comparing his height to frontcourt players futile. However, being 6’6 gave him just the amount of separation he needed on his fadeaways to prevent them from being blocked on 99% of all possessions.

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It is also worth mentioning that Jordan’s handspan is quite unusual for his height as he has said on many occasions that his hands are to him what a paintbrush is to an artist. 

Michael Jordan jokes about how he got to be 6’6. 

Michael Jordan was never really a tall high schooler. He was 5’8 as a freshman, 5’11 as a sophomore, and entered his first year at UNC at a decent 6’2. His sophomore year at Chapel Hill saw him reach the height he has been listed at for the past 30 years: 6’6. 

This unprecedented growth spurt is what led to the Bulls legend taking his game up several notches. Given what we know about Jordan’s parents and siblings, it is indeed strange that Michael reached the height that he did, and it could be characterized as anomalous.  

While on the David Letterman Show in 1989, Michael Jordan was asked about how his got to such a height when his immediate family is nowhere close to reaching his stature.

Jordan hilariously responded by saying, “I’m the tallest. My father’s about 5’10, my mother’s about 5’5, everybody else about 5’6 or 5’7. The milkman’s about 6’7.” 

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This led to the audience bursting in laughter as, for those who haven’t caught on yet, Jordan insinuated that the milkman was his actual, biological father.