Who Is Deloris Jordan, Michael Jordan's Mom?

published 15 May 2020

One of the most compelling figures in ESPN docuseries The Last Dance is Michael Jordan's mother Deloris Jordan. The former bank teller, born in North Carolina and now living in Chicago, has spoken openly about her superstar son, her life as a mother, her work as a philanthropist and author, and the tragic death of her husband. She even makes an appearance in The Last Dance, unlike Jordan's ex-wife or current partner. Here's what we know about Deloris, and the impact that she had on her son throughout his life.

Deloris and Michael are close.

Michael credits his family for his success, saying, "They were hardworking people and they instilled that not just in me but in my brothers and sisters...It just became a part of my nature I always take a negative and turn it into a positive—that all came from my parents."

The Last Dance does also dive into the competition between him and his brothers, and how his father encouraged them to push themselves really, really hard. Michael could apparently be combative as a teen, and his mom pushed him to stay studious.

She says her parenting style was simple, despite Michael's massive success:

"I always told my children, 'Each one of you has special gifts, it's how you use them...Each one had a talent, but how they approached it was different from the others. Michael might have skills for basketball, but Larry built things with his hands, and our oldest son was in ROTC and such a leader."

In an interview about a book she wrote in 1998 called Family First: Winning the Parenting Game, Deloris spoke about raising Michael and her other children:

Deloris shares more about her son in The Last Dance.

In Deloris' interviews, she even shared a letter Michael wrote her while he was in college. I'm just going to quote the whole thing here:

Dear Mom,
How has life been treating you? Fine, I hope. I am doing just fine. I am sending you my account number so that you can deposit some money in my account. I have only $20 in there. Tell everyone I said hello and smile. God and I love you.
Love, Michael.
P.S. Sorry about the phone bill. Please also send me some stamps.

Amazing.

The Jordans suffered family tragedy.

In 1993, Deloris' husband James Sr. was murdered by two teenagers who stole his car. The tragedy was devastating for the whole family (Michael briefly retired from basketball before returning to the Bulls). Deloris explained that it eventually brought the family closer together to grieve and bond.

Jordan openly wept when the Bulls won another championship on Father's Day in 1996:

"I know he's watching," he told NBC at the time. "To my wife and to my kids, to my mother and my brothers and sisters, this is for daddy."

Deloris still does charitable work.

In 1989, Deloris and James Sr. cofounded the Michael Jordan Foundation, which closed in 1997 to put more focus on the new James R. Jordan Boys & Girls Club and Family Life Center in 1997. Deloris established the James R. Jordan Foundation and has been president for more than 20 years.

She launched many initiatives including; the Vision for Families Program, The A-Team Scholars program, the Time Out Summer Camp, the Reading Together Program, and the S.T.E.A.M. program. Her foundation also formed partnerships with elementary schools in the Chicago area, and in 2009 she established the James R. Jordan Foundation International in collaboration with other international organizations.

Deloris continues to speak publicly—in 2019, she spoke to mothers of NBA players: "We are blessed to be a blessing."

WATCH 'THE LAST DANCE' ON ESPN+

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Katherine’s a contributing syndications editor at Marie Claire who covers fashion, culture, and lifestyle. In her role, she writes stories that are syndicated by MSN and other outlets. She’s been a full-time freelancer for over a decade and has had roles with Cosmopolitan (where she covered lifestyle, culture, and fashion SEO content) and Bustle (where she was their movies and culture writer). She has bylines in New York Times, Parents, InStyle, Refinery29, and elsewhere. Her work has also been syndicated by ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, Seventeen, Good Housekeeping, and Women’s Health, among others. In addition to her stories reaching millions of readers, content she's written and edited has qualified for a Bell Ringer Award and received a Communicator Award.

Katherine has a BA in English and art history from the University of Notre Dame and an MA in art business from the Sotheby's Institute of Art (with a focus on marketing/communications). She covers a wide breadth of topics: she's written about how to find the very best petite jeans, how sustainable travel has found its footing on Instagram, and what it's like to be a professional advice-giver in the modern world. Her personal essays have run the gamut from learning to dress as a queer woman to navigating food allergies as a mom. She also has deep knowledge of SEO/EATT, affiliate revenue, commerce, and social media; she regularly edits the work of other writers. She speaks at writing-related events and podcasts about freelancing and journalism, mentors students and other new writers, and consults on coursework. Currently, Katherine lives in Boston with her husband and two kids, and you can follow her on Instagram. If you're wondering about her last name, it’s “I go to dinner,” not “Her huge ego,” but she responds to both.