Michael Jordan is arguably the greatest NBA player of all time, but his career began in college with the North Carolina Tar Heels.
Jordan attended Emsley A. Laney High School. During his high school career, he was recruited by schools like Duke, North Carolina, South Carolina, Syracuse and Virginia.
In 1981, the New York native, who grew up in North Carolina, committed to UNC where he majored in cultural geography. At UNC, Jordan spent three seasons with the Tar Heels before declaring for the NBA Draft in 1984. He was selected with the third overall pick in that year’s Draft by the Chicago Bulls.
Michael Jordan’s college career
Michael Jordan had immediate success in his freshman season with UNC. He played 34 games, recording 13.4 PPG on 53.4% shooting, adding 4.4 rebounds.
However, arguably the biggest moment of the six-time NBA champion’s collegiate career was the game-winning shot in the 1982 NCAA Championship game against Georgetown, leading UNC to the title.
“That was the birth of Michael Jordan,” Jordan said, via Rollins Stone. “Before that, I was Mike Jordan. All of a sudden I make that shot, and I’m Michael Jordan.”
During Jordan’s college career, UNC coach Dean Smith was blown away by the player’s work ethic.
“He was one of the most competitive (players) we’ve ever had in our drills,” Smith said, via CNBC. “He wanted to get better, and, then, he had the ability to get better.”
Jordan followed up his freshman season by averaging 20 PPG, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.2 steals in 36 games.
In his junior season and final year at UNC, Jordan averaged 19.6 PPG and 5.3 rebounds. In three years with the Tar Heels, Jordan averaged 17.7 PPG, 5.0 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game.
In his three years, Jordan was selected by consensus to the NCAA All-American First Team in both his sophomore and junior seasons. He also won the Naismith and the Wooden College Player of the Year awards in 1984.
After a successful college career, Jordan played 15 years in the NBA and won six NBA titles. He averaged 30.1 PPG, an NBA record, 6.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game. He ended his career with five MVP and six NBA Finals MVP awards and has had his No. 23 retired by the Chicago Bulls.
Jordan has also had his No. 23 retired by the UNC Tar Heels after his successful three-year career in college.
