Even though Michael B Jordan has become a very popular figure not only in the United States of America but the world at large, you would be forgiven if you have to be reminded who he is. However, there is no justification for not knowing who Michael Jordan is unless you are not of this planet. The man’s name has been synonymous with the game of basketball for several decades. He is a two-time FIBA Hall of Famer, United States Olympics Hall of Famer, a Basketball Hall of Famer, six-time NBA champion, six-time NBA Finals MVP, and so much more. His accomplishments in the sport are just too many to count.
The Family Backgrounds of Michael B Jordan and Michael Jordan
Born on the 9th of February 1987, Michael B Jordan’s place of birth was in Santa Ana, California, U.S. Nonetheless, he spent most of his childhood in Newark, New Jersey. Reports have it that his family lived in California for only two years before moving to Newark which they regard as their home.
The famous actor born to Donna and Michael A. Jordan attended Newark Arts High School where his mother works as a counselor. He is the second of his parents’ three children and was raised in a religious family. Jamila Jordan is his older sister; she is a producer with several popular projects on her resume, including Ink Master, Window Warriors, Glam Masters, and Best Shot. She is the only sister he has just as Khalid Jordan is his only brother. Khalid plays football at Howard University, a private historically black research university located in Washington, D.C. So, Michael B. Jordan is clearly not the son of Michael Jordan.
Given that Michael Jordan is way older than Michael B Jordan, it is not hard to see why people began wondering if the NBA legend fathered the famous actor. The former professional basketball player was also born in February, precisely on the 17th of the month in 1963. His place of birth was in Brooklyn, New York, and he was raised there for a few years before his family relocated to North Carolina and settled in Wilmington.
Michael Jordan’s mother’s name is Deloris (nee Peoples), she used to work as a bank teller. Deloris met Michael Jordan’s father, James Raymond Jordan Sr., in high school and they got married sometime in 1956. The couple had a total of five kids and remained together until James was murdered on the 23rd of July 1993. The former NBA star has four siblings; two brothers named Larry and James Jordan Jr., and two sisters named Deloris and Roslyn Jordan.
How Did Michael B Jordan Get His Name?
Given the status Michael Jordan attained as a professional basketball player, some people have probably named their kids after him and it is not surprising that many came to assume that Michael B. Jordan was one of those named after the basketball icon.
However, we can confirm that the actor was not named after anyone but his father, Michael A. Jordan. It is said that his father started the naming tradition of changing only the middle initials of their names. The “B” stands for Bakari which means “noble promise” in Swahili.
Michael B. Jordan has shared that he wouldn’t keep up with the naming tradition his father started. According to him, sharing the same name with a living legend brought him a lot of pressure growing up as people always told him he wasn’t the real Michael Jordan. Because of this, he became competitive in everything and it is arguably one of the factors that propelled him to a successful career.
Michael B Jordan and Michael Jordan Are Both Accomplished Figures In Their Respective Careers
As hinted earlier, Michael Jordan is one of the most accomplished basketball players the world has ever known. In the 15 seasons he played in the NBA for the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards, he pulled off so many feats that are simply too many to count. He is a six-time NBA champion, six-time NBA Finals MVP, five-time NBA MVP, 10-time NBA scoring leader, and 14-time NBA All-Star. He has been inducted to multiple halls of fame with his jersey no. 23 retired by several teams, even the ones he never played for like the Miami Heat.
Following his retirement, Michael Jordan went on to become a prominent businessman; he is a billionaire and the principal owner of the Charlotte Hornets which competes in the NBA. He also owns 23XI Racing, a professional auto racing company that competes in the NASCAR Cup Series.
For Michael B. Jordan, his career has also been a massive success story. He began his journey to stardom as a child model and gained mainstream recognition in 2002 for playing Wallace in the crime drama television series, The Wire. Since then, the actor acclaimed as one of the Sexiest Men Alive has been seen in popular productions like All My Children, Friday Night Lights, Chronicle, Red Tails, Fantastic Four, Just Mercy, and much more. He has received so much recognition and awards for his contributions to the industry. For instance, The New Tork Times named him on its list of 25 Greatest Actors of the 21st Century; this was in 2020. That same year, Time magazine recognized him as one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
The Black Panther actor has been nominated for many coveted awards and has won several of them, including Screen Actors Guild, Teen Choice, MTV Movies & TV, NAACP Image, Black Reel, Hollywood Film Awards, and much more.
Key Takeaways
- Michael B Jordan and Michael Jordan have no blood ties and are not related in any way.
- The former was born in Santa Ana, California, and the latter in Brooklyn, New York.
- Michael B Jordan was not named after anyone but his biological father.
- They are both popular and accomplished in their fields of endeavor.
