Michael Jordan

by Roland Lazenby

  Flashing his competitive anger. (Steve Lipofsky/basketballphoto.com)

  Jordan and his early Bulls in 1988. (Steve Lipofsky/basketballphoto.com)

  Engaged in the “quiet war” with Detroit’s Joe Dumars. (AP Images)

  In the 1988 Slam Dunk Contest. (AP Images)

  On the links in 1988. (AP Images)

  With Bulls vice president Jerry Krause in 1988. (AP Images)

  With wife Juanita after the Bulls won the 1991 NBA title. (AP Images)

  Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf was confident that Jordan, though underpaid, would never ask for a raise. (AP Images)

  On the medal stand with the Dream Team in 1992. (AP Images)

  Jordan’s image took a hit in 1993 after revelations of his gambling. (AP Images)

  With his young family in 1993. (AP Images)

  The Spirit was dedicated outside the United Center in November 1994. (AP Images)

  Shown here with broadcaster Harry Caray, Jordan dreamed of playing pro baseball. (AP Images)

  Wearing number 45 upon his return to the NBA in March 1995. (AP Images)

  Jordan and Scottie Pippen embrace after winning the 1996 NBA title. (AP Images)

  Pippen helps Jordan from the floor during the 1997 “flu game.” (AP Images)

  Even as a Wizard, he still worked the tongue. (AP Images)

  Sitting courtside with Yvette Prieto at a Charlotte Bobcats game. (AP Images)

  Jordan wept openly at his Hall of Fame induction in 2009. (AP Images)

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  I’ve often pointed out that there have been so many books written about Michael Jordan that he has his own genre.

  So why the need for another one?

  Well, my answer is the same that most authors give: This one provides lots of new information.

  No, really. This book does provide much new information on Jordan. Just as important, it provides a new context for our consideration of the life of Michael Jordan. We know a lot about him, but the new context changes much about how we view what we already knew.

  A new book also doesn’t mean that the old ones are obsolete. To the contrary, any number of the previous books written about Jordan remain immensely valuable and were essential to me in putting together this mosaic of his life—a mosaic that has been a huge challenge considering how intensely the Jordan family guards its privacy and secrets. Who can really blame them given the nature of fame in the media-driven postmodern age?

  To that end, the little-known book by his sister Deloris, In My Family’s Shadow, which was published privately in 2001, goes a long way in opening a window to the difficulties the Jordans have faced over the years.

  Jordan’s own work with the writer Mark Vancil was also important in providing me access to his thoughts, as has been the work of certain journalists: Melissa Isaacson, Lacy Banks, Rick Telander, Jack McCallum, and Sam Smith, among numerous others.

  Smith’s The Jordan Rules is the text that first pulled back the drapes for a look at Jordan’s complex personality.

  Rebound by Bob Greene is another fascinating volume, although it’s often overlooked within the literature of MJ for Greene’s better-known Hang Time.

  Although he never got to interview Jordan, David Halberstam offers an important view of the cultural context in which Jordan worked in Playing for Keeps. Some of my own books provide a similar background, including Blood on the Horns, the story of the Bulls’ divisive 1998 season; Mind Games; And Now, Your Chicago Bulls; and several other works about Jordan and the NBA.

  I want to acknowledge the work of all the dozens of writers who covered basketball and Jordan’s career before me: Mitch Albom, Terry Armour, Lacy Banks, Greg Stoda, Chuck Carree, Mike McGraw, Terry Boers, Mike Wise, Clifton Brown, Dave Anderson, Phil Berger, Frank Deford, Bryan Burwell, David Dupree, Scott Ostler, Ira Berkow, Shelby Strother, Charlie Vincent, Mitch Chortkoff, Robert Falkoff, Bill Gleason, Bill Hall, Scott Howard-Cooper, Mike Imrem, Melissa Isaacson, John Jackson, Paul Ladewski, Bernie Lincicome, Bob Logan, Jay Mariotti, Kent McDill, Corky Meinecke, Mike Mulligan, Skip Myslenski, Glenn Rogers, Steve Rosenbloom, Eddie Sefko, Gene Seymour, Sam Smith, Ray Sons, Paul Sullivan, Mark Vancil, Bob Verdi, Bob Ryan, Roy S. Johnson, Tony Kornheiser, Dave Kindred, Pat Putnam, Sandy Padwe, Jack McCallum, Sam McManis, Doug Cress, Mike Littwin, John Papanek, Leonard Koppett, George Vecsey, Alex Wolff, Bruce Newman, Jackie MacMullan, Steve Bulpett, Peter May, Mike Fine, Will McDonough, Ailene Voisin, Drew Sharp, Terry Foster, Steve Addy, Dean Howe, and many, many others whose front-line work greatly aided this book.

  As much as it was the literature, it was the people who helped me provide this in-depth account of Jordan’s life.

  Among the many I’ve interviewed, certain figures stand out for their major contributions to my understanding of Michael Jordan. They include Maurice Eugene Jordan, William Henry Jordan, George Gervin, Ray Allen, Rod Higgins, James Worthy, Patrick Ewing, Joe Dumars, Bill Billingsley, Michael Taylor, George Mumford, Tex Winter, Johnny Bach, Steve Kerr, Sonny Vaccaro, Jerry Krause, Billy Packer, Kenny Gattison, Tim Hallam, Jim Stack, Joe O’Neil, Dick Neher, David Aldridge, Lacy Banks, Ed Pinckney, J. A. Adande, Kevin McHale, Bill Walton, David Mann, James Edwards, Ralph Sampson, Terry Holland, Don Sublett, Howard Garfinkel, Matt Guokas, Chuck Carree, Tom Konchalski, Brendan Malone, Brick Oettinger, Fred Whitfield, Charles Oakley, Kwame Brown, Daniel Mock, Brent Barry, Mike Wise, Eddie Jones, Jeff Davis, Ken Roberts, Walter Bannerman, Dick Weiss, Magic Johnson, Art Chansky, Scottie Pippen, and Michael Jordan himself, as well as many others who talked freely about their experiences.

  None of this would have been possible without my wife, Karen; my daughters, Jenna and Morgan; and my son-in-law Mike Hollowell—all of whom, in addition to giving support, also freely contributed their time to transcribe the many interview tapes for this project.

  I am deeply indebted to Dan Smith and Mike Ashley for reading portions of the manuscript and offering assurances, as well as to Doug Doughty, who offered advice on interview subjects, and to the staffs at the libraries of Pender, Duplin, and New Hanover counties. Also vital were the special collections and, in particular, the Southern Folklife Collection at UNC’s Wilson Library, plus Adam Ryan’s Jordan video collection.

  For their friendship and encouragement, I am indebted to my son, Henry Lazenby, and son-in-law Jon Thumas, as well as good friends and colleagues Ran Henry, Lindy Davis, Steve Cox, David and Deloris Craig, Ric and Emmy Moore, Mudcat Saunders, Neal Turnage, Andy Mager, Scott and Sue McCoy, Pat and Sue Flynn, Billy and Kathleen Driver, Tonia and Jake Lucas, Beth Macy, Michael Hudson, Jorge Ribeiro, Bryan and Becky Tinsley, Gary Burns, and so many others.

  As always, my agent, Matthew Carnicelli, was essential to the project, as were key staff members at Little, Brown, including Michael Pietsch, Ben Allen, Malin von Euler-Hogan, and Peg Anderson. A very special debt is owed to editor John Parsley for the mountain of work and dedication he plowed into this book.

  Finally, a special thanks to my siblings, Jeanie and Hampton, and our late parents, William Lowry Lazenby and Virginia Hampton Lazenby, who taught me to love reading and basketball from a young age.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  ROLAND LAZENBY is the author of the critically acclaimed bestseller Jerry West: The Life and Legend of a Basketball Icon, among numerous other books. He has spent the past three decades interviewing NBA players, coaches, staff members, and other figures while writing about the league. He can be found on Twitter @lazenby. He lives in Virginia.

  Also by Roland Lazenby

  Jerry West: The Life and Legend of a Basketball Icon

  The Show: The Inside Story of the Spectacular Los Angeles Lakers in the Words of Those Who Lived It

  Mindgames: Phil Jackson’s Long Strange Journey

  Mad Game: The NBA Education of Kobe Bryant

  Blood on the Horns: The Long Strange Ride of Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls

  Bull Run! The Story of the 1995–96 Chicago Bulls

  Air Balls! Not
es from the NBA’s Far Side

  The Lakers: A Basketball Journey

  The Golden Game (with Billy Packer)

  The NBA Finals

  Fifty Years of the Final Four: Golden Moments of the NCAA Basketball Tournament (with Billy Packer)

  NOTES AND SOURCES

  Interviews

  I would like to thank the following for granting interviews for this book and for other projects of mine over the years that provided insight for this work. They include, in no particular order: Art Chansky, Ralph Sampson, Jerry Krause, George Mumford, Michael Jordan, James Worthy, Tex Winter, Ty Lue, Mike Wise, Jay Mariotti, Daniel Mock, Lindy Davis, Kwame Brown, Shaun Livingston, Rick Bonnell, Steve Kerr, Brent Barry, David Mann, William Henry Jordan, Maurice Eugene Jordan, Raphael Carlton, Dick Neher, Howard Garfinkel, Walter Bannerman, Joe Dumars, James Edwards, David Aldridge, Doug Collins, Kenny Gattison, Dee Brown, Chris Pika, Scottie Pippen, Jimmy Bain, Charles West, Sonny Vaccaro, Matt Guokas, Tim Hallam, Joe O’Neil, Jim Stack, Rod Higgins, Doc Rivers, Charles Oakley, Lacy Banks, George Gervin, Bill Walton, Kevin McHale, Mitch Lawrence, Chuck Carree, Jeff Davis, Pat Williams, Mike Taylor, Mary Faison, Bobby Jordan, William Billingsley, Ken Roberts, Johnny Bach, Marques Johnson, Jerry Sloan, Brick Oettinger, Anthony Teachey, Terry Holland, Bill Thacker, Tom Konchalski, Brendan Malone, Billy Packer, Ed Pinckney, Patrick Ewing, Ric Moore, Clarence Gaines, Jr., Fred Whitfield, Dick Weiss, Chip Schaefer, Phil Jackson, John McLendon, Clarence “Big House” Gaines, Doug Doughty, Alex Rivera, Dean Smith, Tom McMillen, John Thompson, Jonathan Kovler, Donald Sublett, Rod Thorn, Bill Blair, Irwin Mandel, Mark Pfeil, Kevin Loughery, Steve Schanwald, Jerry Reinsdorf, Bill Gleason, Cheryl Raye-Stout, Sidney Green, Jess Kersey, Bruce Levine, Tom Smithburg, John Paxson, John Ligmanowski, Will Perdue, Bob Logan, Isiah Thomas, Chuck Daly, Bill Laimbeer, Mike Ornstein, Shelby Strother, Tom Dore, Gary Vitti, Eddie Jones, Bill Wennington, Ron Harper, Nick Van Exel, Kobe Bryant, Bill Smith, Terry Armour, Jud Buechler, Luc Longley, Jason Caffey, Dennis Rodman, Keith Lundquist, Jack Haley, Dr. Jack Ramsay, Ray Allen, Jim Cleamons, Jerry West, Magic Johnson, and Dr. Jerry Buss.

  Magazines, Newspapers, and Websites

  Extensive use was made of publications and websites, including the Chicago Defender, the Chicago Tribune, the Chicago Sun-Times, the Daily Southtown, the Detroit News, the Detroit Free Press, the Daily Herald, ESPN The Magazine, Hoop magazine, the Houston Post, the Houston Chronicle, Inside Sports, Sport magazine, the Los Angeles Times, The National, the New York Daily News, the New York Times, the New York Post, the Charlotte Observer, the Wilmington Journal, the Wilmington Star-News, the Greensboro News and Record, the Durham Sun, the Winston-Salem Journal, the Roanoke Times, USA Today, The Oregonian, the Philadelphia Inquirer, the San Antonio Express-News, Sports Illustrated, Lindy’s Pro Basketball Annual, Basketball Times, the Boston Globe, The Sporting News, Street & Smith’s Pro Basketball Yearbook, the Washington Post, ESPN.com, Keeping It Heel (blog), Bullets Forever (blog), The Basketball Jones (blog), Deadspin (blog), HoopsHype (blog), The Golf Nut Society (blog), NBA.com, and Bulls.com, among others.

  Demographic Research

  Four thousand Pender County, North Carolina, death certificates, 1910–1930.

  Census records in Pender County, North Carolina, for Jordan, Hand, Burns, Keilon, Peoples families, 1890, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930.

  Pender County marriage records for Dawson Jordan, Clementine Burns, and Ethel Lane.

  Death and birth records for Charlotte Hand, Isac Keilon, Clementine Burns Jordan, Dawson Jordan, William Edward Jordan, James Jordan, Rosabell Hand Jordan, and Inez Peoples.

  Selective service records for Dawson Jordan and Edward Peoples.

  Duplin County and New Hanover County real estate records for Jordan family.

  North Carolina Department of Agriculture Report, 1922, UNC Collection.

  Books

  Beckett, Dr. James, publisher. The Definitive Word on Michael Jordan: As Told by His Friends and Foes. Dallas: Beckett Publications, 1988.

  Bloodworth, Mattie. History of Pender County, North Carolina. Richmond: Dietz Printing Company, 1947.

  Bondy, Filip. Tip-off: How the 1984 NBA Draft Changed Basketball Forever. Cambridge, MA: Da Capo, 2007.

  Boyd, Todd. Young, Black, Rich, and Famous: The Rise of the NBA, the Hip Hop Invasion, and the Transformation of American Culture. New York: Doubleday, 2003.

  Carden, Bruce, and Bob Condor, eds. Bulls Da Champs. Chicago: Tribune Publishing, 1992.

  Chansky, Art. Light Blue Reign: How a City Slicker, a Quiet Kansan, and a Mountain Man Built College Basketball’s Longest-Lasting Dynasty. New York: Thomas Dunne, 2010.

  Chansky, Art, Eddie Fogler, and Dean Smith. March to the Top. Chapel Hill, NC: Four Corners, 1982.

  Conser, Walter H. A Coat of Many Colors: Religion and Society along the Cape Fear River of North Carolina. Lexington: University of Kentucky Press, 2006.

  Esquinas, Richard, and Dave Distel. Michael & Me: Our Gambling Addiction—My Cry for Help! San Diego: Athletic Guidance Center Publishing, 1993.

  Featherston, Alwyn. Tobacco Road: Duke, Carolina, NC State, Wake Forest, and the History of the Most Intense Backyard Rivalries in Sports. Guilford, CT: Lyons Press, 2006.

  George, Nelson. Elevating the Game: The History and Aesthetics of Black Men in Basketball. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1993. Print.

  Gergen, Joe. The Final Four: An Illustrated History of College Basketball’s Showcase Event. St. Louis: Sporting News, 1987.

  Godwin, John L. Black Wilmington and the North Carolina Way: Portrait of a Community in the Era of Civil Rights Protest. Lanham, MD: University Press of America, 2000.

  Greene, Bob. Rebound: The Odyssey of Michael Jordan. New York: Viking, 1995.

  Halberstam, David. Playing for Keeps: Michael Jordan and the World He Made. New York: Random House, 1999.

  Hirsch, Arnold R. Making the Second Ghetto: Race and Housing in Chicago, 1940–1960. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1998.

  Isaacson, Melissa. Transition Game: An Inside Look at Life with the Chicago Bulls. Champaign, IL: Sagamore Publishing, 1994.

  Jackson, Phil, and Charley Rosen. More Than a Game. New York: Seven Stories, 2001.

  Jackson, Phil, and Hugh Delehanty. Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success. New York: Penguin Press, 2013.

  ______. Sacred Hoops: Spiritual Lessons of a Hardwood Warrior. New York: Hyperion, 1995.

  Jordan, Deloris. In My Family’s Shadow. Elkins Park, PA: Jordan Signature Publishing, 2001.

  Jordan, Deloris, and Gregg Lewis. Family First: Winning the Parenting Game. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1996.

  Jordan, Michael, and Mark Vancil. For the Love of the Game: My Story. New York: Crown, 1998.

  Jordan, Michael, and Pat Williams. Quotable Michael Jordan: Words of Wit, Wisdom, and Inspiration by and about Michael Jordan, Basketball’s Greatest Superstar. Hendersonville, TN: Towlehouse Publishing, 2004.

  Kirk, J. Allen. A Statement of Facts Concerning the Bloody Riot in Wilmington, NC, of Interest to Every Citizen of the United States. Wilmington, NC: n.p., 1898.

  LaFeber, Walter. Michael Jordan and the New Global Capitalism. Expanded edition. New York: W. W. Norton, 2002.

  Lefler, Hugh Talmage. North Carolina History Told by Contemporaries. Fourth ed. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1965.

  McCallum, Jack. Dream Team: How Michael, Magic, Larry, Charles, and the Greatest Team of All Time Conquered the World and Changed the Game of Basketball Forever. New York: Ballantine, 2012.

  Mobley, Joe A. The Way We Lived in North Carolina. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2003.

  Naughton, Jim. Taking to the Air: The Rise of Michael Jordan. New York. Little, Brown, 1992.

  Parker, Bobby. Michael Jordan: Before the Legend. Wilmington, NC: Wilmington Star-News, 1999.

  Powell, William Stevens. North Carolina: A History. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1988.

  ______. North Carolina through Four
Centuries. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1989.

  Prather, H. Leon. We Have Taken a City: The Wilmington Racial Massacre and Coup of 1898. Southport, NC: Dram Tree, 2006.

  Randall, Stephen, ed. The Playboy Interviews: They Played the Game. Milwaukie, OR: M Press, 2006.

  Smith, Dean, John Kilgo, and Sally Jenkins. A Coach’s Life: My Forty Years in College Basketball. New York: Random House, 1999.

  Smith, John L. Running Scared: The Life and Treacherous Times of Las Vegas Casino King Steve Wynn. New York: Barricade, 1995.

  Smith, Sam. The Jordan Rules. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1992.

  Strasser, J. B., and Laurie Becklund. Swoosh: The Unauthorized Story of Nike and the Men Who Played There. New York: HarperBusiness, 1993.

  Telander, Rick. In the Year of the Bull: Zen, Air, and the Pursuit of Sacred and Profane Hoops. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1996.

  Walker, J. Samuel. ACC Basketball: The Story of the Rivalries, Traditions, and Scandals of the First Two Decades of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2011.

  Williams, Roy, and Tim Crothers. Hard Work: A Life on and off the Court. Chapel Hill, NC: Algonquin, 2009.

  Newspaper, Magazine, and Online Articles

  Adderton, Donald V. “Parenting Doesn’t Stop after Superstardom.” Wilmington Morning Star. July 19, 1996.