These Michael Jordan Quotes reflect the hard work and competitiveness of the best basketball player to ever play the game.
If you’ve seen the Last Dance documentary, you know that Jordan had a strong will to win. He was a five-time Most Valuable Player in the NBA.
Considered the greatest basketball player ever, Michael Jordan played the game with style and intensity to win that was unmatched. To better understand this star athlete, take a look at some of his insights through these quotes.
Best Michael Jordan Quotes
Here are some of our favorite Michael Jordan quotes.
- You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them.
- I’m not out there sweating for three hours every day just to find out what it feels like to sweat.
- I have missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I have lost almost 300 games. On 26 occasions, I have been entrusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. And I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.
- I play to win, whether during practice or a real game. And I will not let anything get in the way of me and my competitive enthusiasm to win.
- Failure is acceptable, but not trying is a whole different ballpark.
- Learning is a gift, even when pain is your teacher.
- What is love? Love is playing every game as if it’s your last.
- All I knew is that I never wanted to be average.
- My innate personality is to win at all costs. If I have to do it myself, I’m going to do it.
- Everyone has talent. But ability takes hard work.
- To be successful you have to be selfish, or else you never achieve. And once you get to your highest level, then you have to be unselfish.
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Funny Michael Jordan Quotations
- Obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.
- There is no “I” in a team, but there is in win.
- People ask me if I could fly. I said, ‘Yeah…. for a little while.’
- Not every flying hero has a cape.
- Once you leave the ground, you fly. Some people fly longer than others.
- I own the guy guarding me.
Short MJ Quotes
- If no one will help you do it alone.
- Failure always made me try harder the next time.
- I know fear is an obstacle for some people, but it is an illusion to me.
- There’s only one Michael Jordan.
- Failure is acceptable. but not trying is a whole different ballpark.
- Stay reachable. Stay in touch. Don’t isolate.
- It is nerve-wracking watching my kids’ games.
- The key to success is failure.
- Just play. Have fun. Enjoy the game.
- If you try to shortcut the game, then the game will shortcut you.
- Live the moment for the moment.
- I play to win, whether during practice or a real game.
Motivational Michael Jordan Quotes
These motivational Michael Jordan quotes will get you pumped up.
- The minute you get away from fundamentals–whether it’s proper technique, work ethic or mental preparation–the bottom can fall out of your game, your schoolwork, your job, whatever you’re doing.
- I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.
- You can have all the physical ability in the world, but you still have to know the fundamentals.
- The basketball court for me, during a game, is the most peaceful place I can imagine. On the basketball court, I worry about nothing. When I’m out there, no one can bother me.
- The victorious performance itself is merely a demonstration of their championship character.
- The game has its ups and downs, but you can never lose focus of your individual goals and you can’t let yourself be beat because of lack of effort.
- Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.
- People didn’t believe me when I told them I practiced harder than I played, but it was true. That’s where my comfort zone was created. By the time the game came, all I had to do was react to what my body was already accustomed to doing.
- I don’t do things half-heartedly. Because I know if I do, then I can expect half-hearted results.
Inspirational Quotes By Michael Jordan
- Sometimes, things may not go your way, but the effort should be there every single night.
(Jordan on his relentless pursuit of excellence) - I want to wake up every day and do whatever comes to my mind, and not feel pressure or obligation to do anything else in my life.
- I would tell players to relax and never think about what’s at stake. Just think about the basketball game. If you start to think about who is going to win the championship, you’ve lost your focus.
- Champions do not become champions when they win an event, but in the hours, weeks, months, and years they spend preparing for it. The victorious performance itself is merely a demonstration of their championship character.
- The game has its ups and downs, but you can never lose focus of your individual goals and you can’t let yourself be beat because of lack of effort.
- There is no such thing as a perfect basketball player, and I don’t believe there is only one greatest player either.
- When I was young, I had to learn the fundamentals of basketball. You can have all the physical ability in the world, but you still have to know the fundamentals.
- Enjoy every minute of life. Never second-guess life.
- I realize that I’m black, but I like to be viewed as a person, and this is everybody’s wish.
- I never thought a role model should be negative.
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On Playing Basketball
- Some people want it to happen. Some wish it would happen; others make it happen.
- Live the moment for the moment.
- Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.
- Every time I feel tired while I am exercising and training, I close my eyes to see that picture, to see that list with my name. This usually motivates me to work again.
- I built my talents on the shoulders of someone else’s talent. I believe greatness is an evolutionary process that changes and evolves era to era.
- My heroes are and were my parents. I can’t see having anyone else as my heroes.
- In college, I never realized the opportunities available to a pro athlete. I’ve been given a chance to meet all kinds of people, to travel and expand my financial capabilities, to get ideas and learn about life, to create a world apart from basketball.
- My attitude is that if you push me towards something that you think is a weakness, then I will turn that perceived weakness into a strength.
- The game of basketball has been everything to me. My place of refuge, place I’ve always gone where I needed comfort and peace. It’s been the site of intense pain and the most intense feelings of joy and satisfaction. It’s a relationship that has evolved over time, and given me the greatest respect and love for the game.
- The basketball court for me, during a game, is the most peaceful place I can imagine.
Michael Jordan Quotes on Expectations
- If you accept the expectations of others, especially negative ones, you never will change the outcome.
- If you quit once, it becomes a habit. Never quit!
- I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.
- I’ve never lost a game, I just ran out of time.
- If it turns out that my best wasn’t good enough, at least I won’t look back and say I was afraid to try.
- My father used to say that it’s never too late to do anything you wanted to do. And he said you never know what you can accomplish until you try.
- If you put forth the effort, good things will be bestowed upon you. That’s truly about the game, and in some ways, that’s about life too.
Basketball quotations by Jordan
- I’ve always believed that if you put in the work, the results will come. I don’t do things half-heartedly. Because I know if I do, then I can expect half-hearted results.
- Sometimes you need to get hit in the head to realize that you’re in a fight.
- There are plenty of teams in every sport that have great players and never win titles. Most of the time, those players aren’t willing to sacrifice for the greater good of the team. The funny thing is, in the end, their unwillingness to sacrifice only makes individual goals more difficult to achieve. One thing I believe to the fullest is that if you think and achieve as a team, the individual accolades will take care of themselves. Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.
- I built my talents on the shoulders of someone else’s talent.
- Never say never because limits, like fears, are often just an illusion.
- If you do the work you get rewarded. There are no shortcuts in life.
- It’s maddening because I felt like we could have won seven. I really believe that. We may not have, but man, just to not be able to try, that’s something that I just can’t accept.
- I never looked at the consequences of missing a big shot… When you think about the consequences you will always think of the negative result.
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Insightful Takes By Jordan
- I know fear is an obstacle for some people, but it is an illusion to me. Failure always made me try harder next time.
- I’d like to play in at least one All-Star game. –Before playing in the NBA.
- I’ve never been afraid to fail.
- In college, I never realized the opportunities available to a pro athlete. I’ve been given the chance to meet all kinds of people, to travel and expand my financial capabilities, to get ideas, and learn about life to create a world apart from basketball.
- To be successful, you have to be selfish, or else you never achieve. And once you get to your highest level, then you have to be unselfish. Stay reachable. Stay in touch. Don’t isolate.
- The journey to greatness is not always pretty. When things go awry, it is often just a way of launching a person to the next level. Even the greats have bad days, but it’s how you learn from them and the lessons you walk away with that matter the most.
- Never say never, because limits, like fears, are often just an illusion.
- Mind the words you speak, change your mindset, and the rest shall follow.
- Operating in fear can prevent a person from living their dream life.
- The problems we face didn’t happen overnight and they won’t be solved tomorrow, but if we all work together, we can foster greater understanding, and positive change and create a more peaceful world for ourselves, our children, our families, and our communities.
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Michael Jordan on taking a Big Shot
- I never looked at the consequences of missing a big shot. When you think about the consequences, you always think of a negative result.
- You can practice shooting eight hours a day, but if your technique is wrong, then all you become is very good at shooting the wrong way. Get the fundamentals down, and the level of everything you do will rise.
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Air Jordan Wisdom
- I never thought a role model should be negative.
- Always turn a negative situation into a positive situation.
- I realized that if I was going to achieve anything in life, I had to be aggressive. I had to get out there and go for it.
- One day, you might look up and see me playing the game at 50. Don’t laugh. Never say never because limits, like fears, are often just an illusion.
- Yeah, for a little while. (When asked if he could fly.)
- If I had been playing for money, I would have complained a long time ago that I was underpaid.
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Michael Jordan Quotes On The Game
- The game is my wife. It demands loyalty and responsibility, and it gives me back fulfillment and peace.
- The minute you get away from fundamentals – whether it’s proper technique, work ethic, or mental preparation – the bottom can fall out of your game, your schoolwork, your job, whatever you’re doing.
- It’s heavy duty to try to do everything and please everybody. My job was to go out there and play the game of basketball as best I can. People may not agree with that. I can’t live with what everyone’s impression of what I should or what I shouldn’t do.
- I can accept failure; everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.
- My body could stand the crutches, but my mind couldn’t stand the sideline.
Others’ Takes on Air Jordan
- I think he’s God disguised as Michael Jordan.
Larry Bird, after a 63-point performance by Jordan in the playoffs - He’s been the greatest player I’ve ever seen. And I’m probably a harsh judge of talent in the sense that I admire players that are really good defensive players and really good offensive players.
Jerry West - This is a day that I had hoped would never come. It has to be the toughest day in the history of the Chicago Bulls. It’s a tough day for Chicago.
Jerry Reinsdorf, Chicago Bulls Chairman in 1999 - I can’t believe he hit that shot. I don’t know how he stayed in the air that long.
Brad Daughtery commenting on “The Shot.”
I Like Mike
- To me, Jordan is the god of Basketball, and I think he will always be.
Dirk Nowitzki - I felt that at his time in the game, he was the best defensive player in the game, but more importantly, he was the best offensive player. And he made his teams win.
Jerry West - You don’t hesitate with Michael, or you’ll end up on some posters in a gift shop someplace.
Felton Spencer
Tip: These Michael Jordan Quotes work well for basketball photo captions, season-ending banquets, and hoop team websites.
Background on Michael Jordan
Here’s some background info on the Chicago Bull’s legend.
Michael Jordan’s Age
Michael Jordan is 61 years old. His birthdate is February 17, 1963.
How old was Michael Jordan when he retired?
Jordan was 30 years old when he retired from the NBA for the first time in 1993. He tried professional baseball to mixed reviews. In 1995, he famously wrote “I’m Back” and returned to the NBA.
From 1995 to 1998, the Jordan-led Bulls enjoyed their second three-peat. Jordan retired again on January 13, 1999. In 2001, he returned to the NBA playing for the Washington Wizards. Jordan played his final NBA game on April 16, 2003, at 40 years old.
Michael Jordan’s Height and Weight
Let’s take a closer look at Air Jordan.
Michael Jordan Height
Throughout his career, Jordan was listed as 6’6″ in height. Some have speculated that he’s much closer to 6’4 3/4″ tall. That’s about the same height as Charles Barkley. At the age of 15, he was only 5’10” tall.
Michael Jordan Weight
During his playing career, Jordan typically weighed in at around 215 pounds.
Michael Jordan Wingspan
Jordan’s wingspan is said to be 6’11”.
Michael Jordan’s Net Worth
Michael Jordan’s net worth is estimated to be $1.9 billion. He made less than $100 million in the NBA but obviously did very well on the endorsement front with his Nike and Jordan Brand endorsement deals raking in significant sums of money.
His original deal with Nike paid him $500,000 annually plus royalties.
Jordan has majority control over the Charlotte Hornets. Currently, the team is valued at 1.3 billion dollars.
Michael Jordan’s Family
Here’s a snapshot of his family.
Parents
Michael Jordan’s dad, James Jordan, was about 5’9″ tall. His mom, Deloris, stands at about 5’5″ tall.
Michael Jordan Wife
His spouse is Yvette Prieto, who he has been married to since 2013. Previously he was married to Juanita Vanoy from 1989 to 2006.
Michael Jordan’s Children
His children include Marcus, Ysabel, Jeffrey Michael, Jasmine Mickael, and Victoria.
Jersey Number
Michael is best known for wearing jersey #23, which he started wearing that number in North Carolina and carried over to the Chicago Bulls. In one game in 1990, he wore jersey #12 when his regular jersey was stolen. Jordan wore jersey number 45 for a handful of games during the 1994-1995 season.
He wore #45 for the Birmingham Barons and then #35 for the Scottsdale Scorpions in baseball.
Michael Jordan: Growing Up
Considered by many to be the greatest basketball player of all time in NBA history. Jordan gained fame as a Chicago Bulls star. Currently, he’s the principal owner of the Charlotte Hornets.
Jordan was born the fourth of five children in New York City to James Jordan and Deloris Jordan. The family moved to North Carolina when Michael was a toddler. Jordan played high school basketball at Emsley A. Laney High School in Wilmington, North Carolina. He played college basketball at the University of North Carolina for legendary coach Dean Smith.
After his junior year, he won the Woodson College Player of the Year Award; he decided to go pro. He gained fame in college, most notably for hitting the winning shot at the 1982 NCAA Championship game against Georgetown (which featured Jordan’s future NBA competitor, Patrick Ewing).
MJ was drafted third in the 1984 draft behind Hakeem Olajuwon and Sam Bowie. He was an All-Star game starter in his rookie season.
The Best Ever
He won five regular-season MVPs, six NBA Finals MVPs, and three All-Star MVPs. He won an NCAA Championship, an NBA Championship, and an Olympic Gold Medal as a player. Only six other players have achieved that feat. An ESPN survey ranked Jordan as the top athlete of the 20th Century in all sports.
In the Eastern Conference Finals in 1989, Jordan scored the game-winner in the fifth and deciding game over the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Craig Ehlo in what is referred to simply as “The Shot.” His career-high in scoring came in the 1986-87 season when he averaged 37.1 points per game.
Jordan’s Bulls’ first NBA finals win at the expense of the Los Angeles Lakers – the Bulls won four games to one. One of the games featured an iconic MJ move when he switched shooting hands to avoid a block by Sam Perkins. Michael Jordan’s teammates with the Bulls included: Scottie Pippen, Horace Grant, Steve Kerr, and Bill Cartwright.
Jordan returned to basketball after retiring and played a few seasons with the Washington Wizards.
Success – Off the Court
Jordan’s success off the court is also extraordinary. His relationship with Nike and the Jordan Brand of shoes and apparel has made him a wealthy man. He starred in several commercials, notably with Spike Lee.
Jordan has been a spokesman for Nike, Gatorade, Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, and others. He also starred in the movie “Space Jam” with Bugs Bunny. In many of his games, Jordan puts on a clinic, but his off-court success is also often copied by sports greats.
Jordan announced his retirement three different times before finally hanging it up. Apparently, his “love of the game clause” included in his contract was very real.
Michael Jordan Fun Facts
- The NBA website declares him “the greatest basketball player of all time.” (That’s good enough for us.)
- He starred in the movie “Space Jam” as himself.
- He owns a basketball team in the NBA – The Charlotte Bobcats. He is selling his majority interest but will remain a minority owner.
- Per Yahoo, he’s the first athlete in history ever to become a billionaire. Rare Air!
- His Airness played minor league baseball for two years.
- ESPN named him the greatest North American Athlete of the twentieth century.
- Jordan loves to golf. At the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, it is said he golfed 36 holes a day.
- Michael once dreamed of being a weatherman.
- Jordan was a big fan of Magic Johnson growing up.
Michael Jordan Trivia
- His middle name is Jeffrey.
- A pair of Jordan shoes sold for over $70,000 at auction.
- Michael Jackson wrote about MJ in a song appropriately titled, “Jam.”
- Michael Jordan has won two Olympic gold medals.
- He’s won five MVP awards.
- Although retired as an athlete, Jordan still makes over $100 million per year.
- Jordan’s yacht is named “Catch 23.”
- Jordan commissioned a table made with 32,292 holes representing the number of points he scored in the NBA.
I hope you enjoyed this deep dive into the basketball legend Michael Jordan quotes.
By Mike O’Halloran
Founder and Editor, Sports Feel Good Stories
Overtime
You’re on the Michael Jordan Quotes page. It was originally published in November 2014.
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