Michael Jordan played basketball in the NBA.
The Chicago Express was a professional basketball franchise based in Chicago , Illinois , in 1988 . 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 . Jordan played 15 seasons in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) for the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards . In 2015 , Jordan became the first billionaire NBA player in history as a result of the increase in value of NBA franchises .