50 years of Michael Jordan NBA legend Michael Jordan, who has turned 50, pictured dunking against the Sacramento Kings in 1993. Jordan flies to the basket in 1995. HIS Airness turned 50 today. To help celebrate, here are the highlights from the life of one of the world's greatest ever sportsmen. 1963: Born in Brooklyn, New York, before moving to Wilmington, North Carolina as a toddler. 1970s: As a sophomore, he misses selection in his Emsley A. Laney High School team because he is deemed too short at 5ft 11in (1.80m). The rejection motivates him and he stars on the school's junior varsity team, producing a series of 40-point games. Continued intense training and a growth spurt of about 10cm results in him joining the varsity team, where he stars as a senior averaging a triple-double every game and earning All American selection. 1981: Earns a scholarship to University of North Carolina, winning Atlantic Coast Conference freshman of the year. 1982: Hits the game-winning jumper in the NCAA Championship game against Patrick Ewing's Georgetown. 1984: Wins Naismith and Wooden college player of the year awards and nominates for the draft. In what is now regarded as the greatest draft class in the history of basketball, Jordan was selected third by the Bulls. Hakeem Olajuwon was the No. 1 pick by the Houston Rockets and Sam Bowie - often regarded as the biggest ever draft bust - went second to the Portland Trail Blazers. The 1984 Draft produced four Hall of Famers - Jordan, Olajuwon, Charles Barkley and John Stockton - and seven All-Stars. In a big year for MJ, he is also a member of America's gold medal winning team at the Los Angeles Olympics. 1984/85: Jordan starts his professional career in a big way at the Bulls. He is on the cover of Sports Illustrated within a month and earns All Star selection in his rookie year. The hype surrounding him is so great that disgruntled senior members of the All Star team opt not to throw him the ball in the showpiece event. He is named rookie of the year as the Bulls reach the playoffs, but fall to the Bucks in the first round. 1985/86: Misses 64 games with a broken foot but returns in time for the postseason. There he produces a playoff record 63 points against the Boston Celtics, but the Bulls still get swept. 1986/87: Jordan's legend grows big time as he scores 3,000 points in a season - the only player other than Wilt Chamberlain to do it - and averages a league-high 37.1 points. He also becomes the first player ever to have 200 steals and 100 blocks, showing he is much more than just an offensive beast. Despite it all, Magic Johnson is still named MVP and the Bulls are swept by Boston in the playoffs again. 1987/88: Averages a league-leading 35 points a game and is named defensive player of the year while picking up his first MVP. Bulls get out of the first round of the playoffs for the first time in the Jordan era, but lose in five games to Isiah Thomas' Detroit Pistons. Michael Jordan in 1989. Picture: Mike Powell/Allsport Source: Supplied 1988/89: Two words: The Shot. In what is considered one of MJ's greatest clutch moments, he hits the game- and series-winning jumper at the buzzer in the Eastern Conference first round against the Cavs. The Bulls lose to the Pistons again. 1989/90: Phil Jackson comes on as new coach and the Bulls reach the Eastern Conference finals again, only to fall to the Pistons... again. 1990/91: The Bulls go to another level, finishing in first place in their division for the first time in 16 years. Jordan wins his second MVP and - more importantly - finally breaks through for his first ring, with the Bulls sweeping the Pistons along the way. The finals appearance was the first in franchise history, and they beat the Lakers in five games. Jordan is also named finals MVP and is moved to tears when holding his maiden championship trophy. Michael Jordan in action against the Lakers in the 1991 finals. Picture: Jonathon Daniel. 1991/92: Another MVP for Jordan and a second title as the Bulls only get better, breaking their franchise record from a year earlier with a 67-15 record during the regular season. In the finals, Jordan goes ballistic scoring a record 35 points in the first half of game one against Clyde Drexler's Trail Blazers, including six threes. The Bulls win in six games and Jordan gets his second finals MVP. He goes on to win a second Olympic gold with the Dream Team. 1992/93: Jordan misses out on the MVP to Charles Barkley, but the three-peat is complete as Chicago beat Barkley's Suns in six games in the finals series and His Airness becomes the first player to win three consecutive finals MVPs. 1993: Jordan shocks the world, retiring from basketball in his peak because he has lost his desire for the game, adding that the murder of his father earlier in the year has spurred his decision. In another surprise move, he signs a minor league contract with the Chicago White Sox, saying it had been his father's dream to see his son play Major League Baseball. Michael Jordan during his brief stint in baseball. 1994: As he toils in the minors with the Birmingham Barons, Jordan's No. 23 jersey is retired by the Bulls. 1995: On March 18, Jordan announces he's coming back to the NBA with just two words in a press release: "I'm back." He returns to the court the next day against the Pacers and scores 19 points in the highest rating NBA regular season game in 20 years. The Bulls go 13-4 with Jordan to reach the playoffs, but fall to the Orlando Magic in six games in the Eastern Conference semis. 1995/96: Sheer dominance as the Bulls record the best regular season ever - 72-10. Jordan leads the league in scoring again, wins the league and All-Star MVPs and is named finals MVP for a fourth time as Chicago downs Seattle to win the championship. 1996: Stars in Space Jam. Michael Jordan with Bugs Bunny in "Space Jam." 1996/97: Karl Malone denies Jordan the MVP but the Bulls' dominance continues, finishing the season 69-11. Malone's Jazz await them in the finals and Jordan produces two pieces of brilliance - a buzzer-beater in game one and scores 38 points - including the winning three - in game five, otherwise known as the "Flu Game." A fifth championship for MJ and a fifth finals MVP. 1997/98: It's a rematch with the Jazz in the finals. In game six, up 3-2 in the series but trailing 86-83 with 42 seconds left, Jordan lifts the Bulls in another famous clutch performance, hitting the game-winning jumper. Six titles, six finals MVPs. 1999: On January 13, Jordan retires for the second time. 2000: Jordan becomes part owner and President of Basketball Operations of the Washington Wizards. 2001: MJ makes another comeback, this time with the Wizards. 2001/02: He lasts 60 games in an injury-ravaged season. Jordan on the floor for the Wizards in 2001. 2002/03: Plays his 14th and final NBA All-Star game, passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the all-time leading scorer in All-Star game history. His record is later broken by Kobe Bryant. Jordan plays his final game against the 76ers on April 16, 2003. 2003: Jordan is fired from his front office job at the Wizards, and says he felt betrayed. 2009: Inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. 2010: MJ becomes first former NBA player to be a majority owner of an NBA franchise, buying the Charlotte Bobcats.