NBA legend Michael Jordan came from humble beginnings in Wilmington, North Carolina. His parents Deloris and James R. Jordan Sr. were both from North Carolina and they met each other in high school. Deloris and Jordan Sr. played a huge part in MJ’s success on and off the court. But there were some major controversies and allegations centering them as well.

Michael Jordan’s father was an army personnel

After graduating high school, Jordan Sr. joined the Air Force and a couple of years later he tied the knot with Deloris Jordan. A few years later, Jordan Sr. left the Air Force and worked in a textile mill in Wallace, North Carolina. The couple then moved to Brooklyn where the veteran received training to be a mechanic. During their time in Brooklyn, the couple welcomed their fourth child, Michael Jeffrey Jordan. Then they returned to Wilmington, North Carolina where Jordan Sr. started working as a mechanic.

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Jordan Sr. was a huge baseball fan and Michael played baseball during his childhood because of that very reason. Later on, this love for baseball would prompt the six-time NBA champion to try his hands in the sport despite being in the prime of his basketball career.

Michael Jordan’s sister spilled harsh facts about her parents’ abusive lives

The Jordan family did not report the missing of James R. Jordan Sr. initially. In fact, Michael’s security team started their own investigation after they could not reach him. Furthermore, Deloris Jordan was not worried about the disappearance initially because she was used to her husband being gone for days. However, after their daughter started worrying about her father, Deloris was concerned as well. Weeks later, his car was found stripped in the woods, and only then the family filed a report that Jordan Sr. was missing.

However, arguably the biggest controversy in the family unfolded when Deloris E. Jordan, MJ’s sister, published her book In My Family’s Shadow in 2001. According to a report, Deloris claimed that her father, Jordan Sr. sexually abused her for over eight years. After hiding the fact for a while, she finally revealed it to her mother during a heated argument, “Ending eight years after it first began and five years after losing my virginity to my father, it scares me to think how much longer the abuse would have went on had I not spit out the dreadful truth to my mother during one of our many heated disagreements.”

Deloris claimed that her mother tried to cover up the whole thing after learning about it. Furthermore, she also allegedly threatened to send her to a “girl’s home”.

Additionally, Deloris noted how her parents were violent towards each other. She added that her mother would belittle her father even outside their home. Even though there seems to be no evidence of her allegations, it definitely caused a major controversy.

Did Michael Jordan’s parents feature in ‘The Last Dance’?

ESPN Films and Netflix co-produced and released The Last Dance docuseries in 2020. It was a major hit among sports fans around the world. The series focussed on Michael Jordan’s time with the Chicago Bulls and revealed some interesting details about him. It showed the greatness of Jordan to the younger generation who never saw him play live.

MJ’s mother was featured in the show. Deloris Jordan was seen reading aloud a letter sent by her son asking for funds while he was in college. Fans loved the endearing exchange between mother and son. On other hand, the show talked about Jordan Sr. and shed some light on his death and funeral.

Michael Jordan announced his retirement after his father’s murder

On July 23, 1993, James R. Jordan Sr. went missing and was later found dead. He was reportedly killed by Larry Demery and Daniel Green who were 17 and 18 at the time. Jordan Sr. was returning from a funeral and decided to take a nap along a North Carolina highway. The suspects reportedly shot Michael’s father and robbed him. Jordan Sr.’s body was later found in a swamp in McColl, South Carolina. Subsequently, Michael Jordan announced his retirement. He stated that he had lost his drive for the game and needed a break.

However, there were shocking conspiracy theories around his retirement and his father’s murder. Many believed that the 14-time NBA All-Star’s gambling could have been the reason behind his father’s death.

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It is no secret that MJ liked to gamble. Even though he has always maintained that he is not addicted to gambling, many refuse to believe it. Furthermore, his acquaintance with some shady people at the time raised a lot of eyebrows after Jordan Sr.’s death and his subsequent retirement.

Untold facts about Jordan’s father’s death

In 1991, James “Slim” Bouler, a money-laundering convict, was found with a $57,000 check from Michael Jordan. MJ later admitted that it was a gambling debt he owed Bouler. Many believed that his retirement after his father’s death was also a secret suspension from the NBA. Furthermore, there were some mind-numbing details about James R. Jordan Sr.’s murder that are still unanswered.

Larry Demery and Daniel Green, convicted in the killing of James, were close friends. Demery took a plea and testified against Green that he pulled the trigger and moved the body to the passenger seat. According to a report from WRAL, “Blood analysis tests were inconclusive for the presence of blood in the passenger seat, though they were not clearly presented as inconclusive at trial.” Green has always maintained that he did not kill Jordan Sr.

Furthermore, there are doubts about Demery’s description of how things happened. As per the report, “Decades later, Green’s new attorney, Christine Mumma of the North Carolina Center on Actual Innocence, had field tests conducted based on the detailed testimony from Demery about where Daniel was in relation to the car and Demery’s description of Mr. Jordan’s position in the driver’s seat. That bullet trajectory expert says the shooting could not have happened as described by Larry Demery.”

Shockingly, the initial autopsy report did not observe a bullet hole in Jordan Sr.’s shirt. But it was present years later at the trial. Furthermore, the last phone call made from the car was to a convicted drug dealer, who was the biological son of the Robeson County Sheriff who investigated the murder. These details, alongside others, are still unanswered and cast a huge doubt on the whole situation.

Who was Michael Jordan’s mother?

After the birth of Michael Jordan in Brooklyn, Deloris and James R. Jordan Sr. returned to Wilmington, North Carolina. As Jordan Sr. found work as a mechanic, Deloris was initially a housewife and then worked as a bank cashier as well. She was very hard-working and pushed their children to work hard as well. She and her husband were very strict as well. Michael Jordan once noted that his mother’s ways would be considered child abuse in this day and age.

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It is no secret that the Chicago Bulls legend earned a lot from his contract with Nike and vice versa. Interestingly, it would not have been possible if it was not for Deloris. The young star at the time was not ready to even meet with the representatives of Nike. However, his mother encouraged him to attend the meeting and listen to their offer. And the rest is sneaker history.