Michael's mom: 'we didn't set out to raise a superstar.' - Deloris Jordan, mother of basketball star Michael Jordan - Interview - Cover Story

Ebony, May, 1997 by Lynn Norment

She has heard the questions a dozen times in recent weeks, a hundred times in the past year.

"How many times did you send Michael to basketball camp?"

"How many times did you make him practice his shooting?"

"How often did he practice his free throws?"

Deloris Jordan, the mother of superstar NBA player Michael Jordan and his four siblings, says these are the most frequently asked questions directed at her--by kids and also by mothers--as she travels around the country, spreading her message of responsible parenthood.

Mrs. Jordan is the first to tell anyone and everyone that she and her late husband, James Raymond Jordan, did not have as a parental goal to produce the best basketball player the world has ever known. Instead, they just were dedicated parents who tried to instill in their five children the desire to be their best and to do their best.

"We didn't set out to raise a superstar," says Mrs. Jordan, echoing the sentiment she expresses in her book, Family First: Winning The Parenting Game. "Never once did we discuss the possibility that one of our children would become a rich or famous athletic superstar. I think anyone who makes that his or her personal goal has a tragically misguided vision of parenthood."

Rather than trying to create a superstar, Mrs. Jordan and her husband wanted to rear children with strong moral character, confidence high self-esteem, and who would feel that they could accomplish whatever goals they set. "To give those values to your children doesn't cost you a dime," she says. "Those are the characteristics and gifts that money cannot buy."

There was plenty of love and guidance in the Jordan household, but there were also rules and chores and regular family dinners at which the children were encouraged to talk about school and other activities. Church, like school, was not an option. Parental goals included instilling spiritual faith, moral values, integrity, concern for others, a strong sense of self-identity, and setting dreams and goals.

As she travels around the country speaking about parenting and family issues, Mrs. Jordan often is asked how she was able to produce such a successful family. She responds by telling people that she measures her children's success not by the size of their paychecks but by the width and breadth of their personal happiness, their ability to grow and make sound decisions and their willingness to try to make a difference in society.

"I call that success," says Mrs. Jordan, as she relaxes during lunch in the private dining room at Michael's Chicago restaurant. "Success has not one thing to do with materialistic things. It has nothing to do with how much money they make; it's how successful they are at life. You find people who have all the money in the world, and they are not happy. So I think that every day we are able to work and be happy and be comfortable in our environment and make a difference in the world, we are successful. I always wanted my children to feel that there's nobody out there better than they are, that there's nothing you can't achieve if you work hard for it. These are the things we must teach children at home."

It is a well-known fact that there is nobody on the basketball court better than Mrs. Jordan's famous son. Michael Jordan even garners accolades from fellow NBA standouts and from outstanding,athletes in other sports. What makes his career story so phenomenal is the fact that after winning two Olympic gold medals and taking the Chicago Bulls to three consecutive NBA championships, he retired in 1993 after his father's death, returned a year and a half later and then took the Bulls to a fourth NBA title in 1996.

It also should be noted that after more than a decade of being underpaid, Jordan last year signed a one-year, $30 million contract with the Bulls, stating that he preferred not to make a long-term commitment because he wants to be able to retire when he feels that his skills are waning. However, the 34-year-old athlete continues to average more than 30 points a game. And, of course, he continues to dazzle crowds wherever he plays with his incredible ball-handling and gravity-defying feats.

Last year, Jordan also starred in his first movie, the animated children's feature Space Jam, and he continues to make millions from endorsing products ranging from athletic wear to beverages to underwear. He also has been the subject of numerous books.

It's more than enough to make any mother proud. But what matters even more to Michael's mom is the fact that her son is a good-hearted person who goes out of his way to give back to the community. For seven years the Michael Jordan Foundation supported many charitable endeavors. Last fall, Michael and Mrs. Jordan opened the James Jordan Boys and Girls Club and Family Life Center with a $2 million endowment from Michael and a $5 million donation from the Chicago Bulls. Located two blocks from the United Center (which many argue should be named the Michael Jordan Center), the club provides educational, cultural, medical and child-care programs, as well as a computer learning center, community health center, and youth sports and leagues. Public school students in the West Side community attend science classes at the center.