Where Did Michael Jordan Want to Go to College?
Michael Jordan is considered by many to be the greatest basketball player of all time. His illustrious career included 6 NBA championships, 5 MVP awards, and 2 Olympic gold medals. However, before all of that, he was just a high school player trying to figure out where to attend college.
Why Did Michael Jordan Only Want to Go to a Select Few Colleges?
When Jordan was in high school in Wilmington, North Carolina, he narrowed down his college choices to only a handful of schools:
- University of North Carolina: This was one of Jordan’s top choices given its proximity to his hometown and its strong basketball program. The Tar Heels were coming off a national championship win in 1982.
- Duke University: Duke was also close to home for Jordan and offered a prestigious academics and athletics combination. Their basketball program was on the rise as well.
- University of Virginia: Virginia’s basketball coach Terry Holland heavily recruited Jordan. UVa was close by and had a very good team.
- North Carolina State University: NC State was Jordan’s father’s alma mater, so it had a family connection for Michael. Their 1983 championship team also appealed to Jordan.
- Syracuse University: Syracuse won a lot in the early 80s and Jordan appreciated their fast-paced style of play. The distance was a negative for this school, however.
So why didn’t Jordan consider other top basketball schools like UCLA, Louisville, or Indiana? He wanted to stay relatively close to home in North Carolina. He was a homebody and wanted his family and friends to be able to easily attend his future games.
What Was Michael Jordan’s Recruiting Ranking Out of High School?
Despite ultimately becoming one of basketball’s all-time greats, Jordan was not seen as a can’t-miss recruit coming out of high school in 1981. In fact, here’s where the major recruiting services ranked him:
- Basketball Weekly: ranked Jordan 20th overall
- Street & Smith’s: ranked Jordan 22nd overall
- Sporting News: ranked Jordan 32nd overall
According to Jordan’s high school coach, “when the lists came out that year, I remember Michael wasn’t even mentioned as one of the top 25 players in the country. But that didn’t bother him at all.”
Jordan achieved great success in high school, becoming a McDonald’s All-American and averaging over 20 points per game his junior and senior seasons, but recruiters missed just how dominant he would become at the next level.
When Did Michael Jordan Decide Between UNC and Duke?
As Jordan’s senior year was winding down, it came time to make the big decision between rival schools North Carolina and Duke.
Both teams and coaches made great pitches to Jordan:
- Dean Smith (UNC): Jordan loved Smith’s track record of success. Smith emphasized how Jordan would fit perfectly into his system focused on conditioning and fundamentals.
- Bill Foster (Duke): Foster intrigued Jordan with his NBA connections and openness to an uptempo style of play. Foster also heavily touted Duke’s academic reputation.
Jordan took official visits to both campuses in late 1980 and trimmed his list to just UNC and Duke in the spring of 1981. However, he didn’t finalize his decision until just before the enrollment deadline:
July 1981 Jordan opts to enroll at UNC, picking the Tar Heels over the rival Blue Devils. He makes his announcement official in September 1981.
Jordan just felt more comfortable with Smith’s program and UNC’s close proximity to his family. It would end up being a momentous decision for both Jordan and the Tar Heels.
What Impact Did Michael Jordan Have at UNC?
Michael Jordan’s impact at UNC was both immediate and profound. He made his presence felt right away during his freshman (1981-82) season:
- Named ACC Freshman of the Year
- Led team in scoring (13.5 ppg)
- Hit game winning jump-shot vs. Duke
As a sophomore, Jordan elevated from star player to truly dominant force:
- Consensus first team All-American
- Named College Player of the Year
- Led team to championship game
- Hit another game winner vs. Duke
Some key stats from his sophomore campaign:
- 20 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 53% FG
- 29 pts, game winner in season finale vs. Duke
And the rest is history – Jordan left UNC after his junior season as a two-time consensus All-American and national champion, before moving on to NBA superstardom.
What Was Michael Jordan’s College Major at North Carolina?
While Michael Jordan shone brightest on the basketball court at North Carolina, he was committed to academics as well. Jordan settled on a major of geography with a focus in urban planning and design.
In discussing his major choice, Jordan said “I thought about business, but I found studying geography more interesting. The classes were smaller, and the professors gave me more one-on-one time.”
Some notable details about his academic career at UNC:
- Maintained a 3.6 GPA his freshman year while leading the basketball team in minutes played
- Named to the Dean’s List for high GPA during multiple semesters
- Frequently studied into the early morning after late games/practices
- Developed an interest in meteorology and almost added it as second major
So while Jordan’s legend rightly lives on because of his basketball exploits, he was no slouch in the classroom either. Jordan has said the discipline needed to balance academics and athletics helped build his work ethic for life after college.
What Was Michael Jordan’s Game Winning Shot Against Georgetown in 1982?
In just his freshman season, Michael Jordan had already developed a knack for clutch plays. That skill was on full display when 15th-ranked UNC faced off against the #1 ranked Georgetown Hoyas and star center Patrick Ewing early in the 1982 season.
The Tar Heels trailed most of the game, including a 69-61 deficit with under a minute to go. UNC mounted a late comeback to close within 1 point. With only seconds remaining, Jordan made his move:
The Shot: An off-balance, hanging 16-footer in the lane over Georgetown’s Jahial Lett as time expired. Swish – UNC wins 63-62!
Jordan finished with 16 points in the defining early game of his college career. The shot over Georgetown’s quick guard Jahial Lett was clutch, difficult, and showcased Jordan’s endless potential.
UNC head coach Dean Smith would later call Jordan’s shot against Georgetown “one of the best big-game clutch baskets I’ve ever seen.” And Jordan was only getting started – it was the first of many legendary, game-winning dagger shots throughout his career.
Did Michael Jordan Play Any Other Sports at UNC Besides Basketball?
Michael Jordan was a standout 3 sport athlete at Laney High School in Wilmington, NC – excelling in basketball, baseball, and football. However, once arriving at UNC, Jordan opted to focus solely on basketball under coach Dean Smith.
Jordan did suit up for one season of junior varsity baseball at North Carolina after leading Laney HS to the state playoffs in baseball. But otherwise Jordan directed all of athletic talents to the basketball court.
Dean Smith required his players to focus solely on basketball while keeping their grades up. Given the rigor of playing and traveling for ACC basketball, specialized focus was deemed best.
And the strategy clearly worked out well for Jordan! Though some still wonder if Jordan could have played multiple sports collegiately or professionally, sticking with basketball from the start ultimately paved the way for his GOAT career.
Michael Jordan’s Jersey Number Over the Years
Throughout a career spanning college, the NBA, and Olympics play, Michael Jordan donned two primary jersey numbers:
| Team | Jersey Number |
|---|---|
| UNC | 23 |
| Chicago Bulls | 23 |
| Washington Wizards | 23 |
| Olympics | 9 |
Jordan first started wearing the #23 jersey during his sophomore season at Laney High School in Wilmington, NC. His older brother Larry was already #45 on the varsity team, so Jordan went halfsies and took #23.
The number stuck and Jordan went on to make the #23 ubiquitous with his success at UNC and most famously with the Chicago Bulls during his Hall of Fame NBA career.
Jordan did wear #12 for one season with the Bulls after briefly retiring and playing minor league baseball. And for the 1992 Olympic “Dream Team” he wore #9 because many international teams already had players wearing #23.
But otherwise, Jordan is almost universally associated with the #23 jersey, an image burned into basketball history after his long list of accomplishments across all levels of the game.
Conclusion
In conclusion, where Michael Jordan wanted to go to college was limited to just a few options that were close to his North Carolina home. He focused primarily on UNC and Duke in his recruitment and in the end, his comfort with picking UNC set the stage for an all-time great college career.
Jordan was not considered a premier recruit coming out of high school in the early 1980s rankings. However, his impact at UNC was immediate, leading the ACC in scoring as a freshman and hitting clutch shots vs. teams like Georgetown and Duke.
After two consensus All-American seasons and a national championship, Jordan departed UNC for the NBA with his #23 jersey and executing fundamentals like conditioning already ingrained – cornerstones of his professional brilliance. His college years shaped both Jordan the man and Jordan the athletic phenomenon forever remembered as the GOAT.
Frequently Asked Questions About Michael Jordan and College
Did Michael Jordan get cut from his high school basketball team?
No, Michael Jordan never got cut from his high school varsity basketball team. As a sophomore he was demoted from varsity to junior varsity, but used it as motivation to improve his deficiencies which included only being 5’10 at the time and needing to work on ballhandling and outside shooting. Jordan developed tremendously over the next two years and became a standout player.
What Michael Jordan game winning shot is the most memorable?
Jordan hit many spectacular, clutch shots in pivotal games across his high school, college, NBA, and Olympics career. But his iconic jumper as a UNC freshman vs #1 Georgetown and as a Chicago Bull over Craig Ehlo vs the Cavs in the 1989 playoffs may be the most memorable and replayed game winners of his career.
Did Michael Jordan play point guard in college?
No, Jordan primarily played shooting guard and small forward at North Carolina. Early on Jordan split ball handling duties with teammates Jimmy Braddock and Buzz Peterson. But ultimately Jordan played mostly off the ball in Dean Smith’s system which utilized passing post men to initiate offensive sets and get players like Jordan open looks.
How many triple doubles did Michael Jordan have at UNC?
In 3 seasons (104 games) at UNC, Michael Jordan recorded 7 triple-doubles. His freshman season was his best year statistically for all-around production at 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 9 assists per triple-double on average. Jordan focused more on scoring during his last two years, but nonetheless showed he could impact all facets of the game at an elite level.
What if Michael Jordan had gone to Duke instead of UNC?
One of the most intriguing ‘what ifs’ in basketball history is – what if Michael Jordan had chosen Duke instead of UNC? Jordan likely still would have achieved individual stardom, but perhaps would have not won an NCAA title or learned fundamentals quite as strongly under Coach K instead of Dean Smith. And the UNC vs. Duke rivalry would have missed out on those legendary Jordan vs. the Blue Devils matchups.
