Who Is Michael Jordan?

By Kirsten Anderson, Who HQ and Dede Putra

Grab your Js and hit the court with this Who Was? biography about NBA superstar Michael Jordan.

Meet the man who changed the game forever. Michael Jordan has always been competitive--even as a young boy, he fought for attention. His need to be the best made him a star player on his college basketball team and helped him become an NBA legend, both for his skills and his endorsements. His Nike contract for Air Jordan basketball shoes set an unmatched precedent for professional athletes. Author Kirsten Anderson takes readers through each exciting moment, detailing the iconic reverse lay-ups and jump shots of Michael Jordan's storied career.

Look for more Who HQ titles:
Who Is LeBron James?
Who Was Kobe Bryant?
Who Is Shaquille O'Neal?
Who Is the Man in the Air?: Michael Jordan

• Language: English
• Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
• Release date: Feb 5, 2019
• ISBN: 9780451532466

Kirsten Anderson

Kirsten Anderson is a passionate communicator who began her professional career with a degree in broadcast journalism from Northwest Missouri State University. She found herself an unlikely advocate for others after experiencing sexual harassment, retaliation, and wrongful termination in her role of Communications Director at the Iowa Statehouse. She took her former employer to court and won.  Since then, Anderson has made it her mission to help other targets of harassment, support those who love them, and educate bystanders. She founded Equitas Solutions, a consultancy to help business build better, safer workplaces, and wrote More Than Words: Turn #MeToo into #ISaidSomething, a book empowering change in individuals, groups, and work environments.  Anderson was 2018 Metro Woman of the Year and a finalist for Inspiring Woman of Iowa. When she isn’t transforming workplace culture, she and her husband spend time revitalizing their historic home. They also enjoy playing board games and cycling with their son and watching him play football.  

Book preview

Cover for Who Is Michael Jordan?Book title, Who Is Michael Jordan?, author, Kirsten Anderson, imprint, Penguin Workshop

To my fellow Nets fans—who want everyone to know that we really do exist—KA

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available upon request.

ISBN 9780451532459 (paperback)

ISBN 9780451532473 (library binding)

ISBN 9780451532466 (ebook)

Version_1

Contents

Title Page

Dedication

Copyright

Who Is Michael Jordan?

Too Short

Carolina Blue

Love of the Game

The Rookie

Trust No One

Three-peat

Now Batting . . . Michael Jordan

Three-peat, Part

Wizard

The Greatest

Timelines

Bibliography

About the Author

Who Is Michael Jordan?

There was less than a minute to go in the 1982 college basketball championship game, one of the biggest events in sports. The Hoyas, Georgetown University’s men’s basketball team, had taken a one-point lead over their rivals, the Tar Heels from the University of North Carolina. With thirty-two seconds left, Carolina coach Dean Smith called a time-out so he could discuss their next moves with his players.

The team, in their white-and-blue uniforms, gathered around their coach. He knew that Georgetown would carefully guard James Worthy and Sam Perkins, two UNC players who had become big stars. Coach Smith had to decide who else could take a shot at scoring a basket if Worthy and Perkins couldn’t get free from defenders. He thought the team should try to get the ball to Michael.

Michael Jordan was a nineteen-year-old freshman at UNC in 1982. Coach Dean Smith rarely let freshmen play. He thought the first-year students needed to watch and learn—from the bench—before they were ready to play big-time college basketball.

But Michael stood out. He was quick and could jump high. He was tough and energetic. Even better, he loved to work and