Michael Jordan played a sport.
The 1984 -- 85 NBA season was the 39th season of the National Basketball Association . Michael Jeffrey Jordan ( born February 17 , 1963 ) , also known by his initials , MJ , is an American retired professional basketball player , businessman , and principal owner and chairman of the Charlotte Hornets . His leaping ability , demonstrated by performing slam dunks from the free throw line in slam dunk contests , earned him the nicknames Air Jordan and His Airness . The North Carolina Tar Heels men 's basketball program is the intercollegiate men 's basketball team of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill .