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Michael Jordan has often credited his parents, James Jordan Sr. and Deloris Jordan, for shaping the person he became long before he turned into a six-time NBA champion. His father, in particular, played a major role in his life, teaching him discipline, respect and the value of putting in the work.
Even after becoming the biggest name in basketball, Jordan continued to lean on his father for advice. His murder in 1993 changed Michael’s life forever, but the lessons he grew up with stay with him to this day.
The NBA legend also understood that not every child has the same upbringing. And the same is the case today.
During the late 1980s and 1990s, single-parent households became a growing concern across America. The problem affected many families, but the data from the time showed the numbers were high within the African American community.
So, when Jordan was asked about absent fathers during the NBA’s 50th Anniversary celebration in 1997, he went back to the values his own dad had taught him.
MJ believed fathers had to take responsibility
Jordan joined Charles Barkley, Grant Hill and former NBA commissioner David Stern for an NBA News interview, where they were asked what message they would give fathers who had left their mothers to raise children on their own.
Jordan was the first to answer, and for him, it all started with accepting responsibility. Even if a relationship had broken down, he believed the father still had an obligation to support both the mother and the child in whatever way they could.
“I think that that’s something they have to stand forth and take responsibility,” Jordan said. “I think it’s a lot of single parents out there. Giving general advice, we all have to be responsible for our actions in whatever capacity that may be. I would advise them, if they can, to look to support someone, either from their family, church, or someone that’s close to them, to help them deal with that problem. But it has to be done, and it is a sad situation, but it’s something that has to be dealt with."
Jordan’s father remained involved throughout his childhood, pushing him to be the legend he is today while making sure the success never changed who he is. Even after reaching the NBA and becoming one of the most globally recognized athletes, he often spoke about the continued influence his father had on his life.
While the issue went far beyond one community, the numbers showed that roughly two-thirds of black community children back then were living with a single parent, most often their mother.
Barkley said accountability had to come first
Barkley answered the question with personal experience. The Hall of Famer was raised by his mother and grandmother after his father left when he was an infant.
Their sacrifices shaped his understanding of responsibility, and he believed that fathers absent from their children's lives could no longer use circumstances as an excuse.
“We can’t use that, as black men, as a crutch. Number one, you’re right, we gotta stop having kids out of wedlock. We got to stop teenage pregnancies. We, as black people, got to step up to the plate and control our own lives and our own destiny,” Barkley added.
Barkley expanded on that point, saying that Black men had to take ownership of their lives rather than waiting for someone to help them. In his views, opportunities did matter, but so did personal accountability, education and making better decisions for future generations.
Both Jordan and Barkley had different views based on their experiences, but their message ultimately landed in the same place.
