Feb. 17, 1963 -- Born in Brooklyn, N.Y. March 29, 1982 -- As a freshman at North Carolina, hits game-winning basket for Tar Heels' 63-62 win in the NCAA championship game against Georgetown.

1982-83 -- AP All-America first team. Sporting News College Player of the Year. Sporting News All-America first team.

1983-84 -- AP All-America first team. AP College Player of the Year. Sporting News College Player of the Year. Sporting News All-America first team. Member of gold medal-winning U.S. Olympic basketball team.

Sept. 12, 1984 -- Bulls' No. 1 draft choice, chosen third overall, behind Hakeem Olajuwon and Sam Bowie.

1984-85 -- NBA Rookie of the Year after averaging 28.2 points.

1985-86 -- Missed 64 games with broken foot.

April 20, 1986 -- Scores playoff-record 63 points in a first-round game against Boston.

1986-87 -- Slam Dunk Champion. Scores 3,041 points, the third highest total in NBA history. Averages 37.1 points to win first of seven straight NBA scoring titles. Named All-NBA first team for first of seven straight seasons.

Jan. 29, 1988 -- Has 10 steals in game against New Jersey.

May 1, 1988 -- Scores 55 points in playoff victory against Cleveland.

1987-88 -- Slam Dunk Champion. Averages 35 points. Regular-season MVP. Defensive Player of the Year. All-Star Game MVP. Named NBA All-Defensive first team for first of six straight years.

March 24, 1989 -- Has 17 assists in game against Portland.

May 9, 1989 -- Has a triple-double (34 points, 10 rebounds, 12 assists) in a playoff game against New York.

1988-89 -- Averages 32.5 points.

March 28, 1990 -- Scores career-best 69 points against Cleveland.

1989-90 -- Averages 33.6 points.

1990-91 -- Averages 31.5 points. Regular-season MVP. NBA Finals MVP. Leads Bulls to first NBA championship.

June 3, 1992 -- Scores an NBA Finals record 35 first-half points against Portland in Game 1.

1991-92 -- Averages 30.1 points. Regular season MVP. NBA Finals MVP for the second straight year, the first player so honored. Scores playoff record 135 points (45 ppg) in leading the Bulls to a three-game sweep of Miami in the first round. Included is a 56-point performance, his fifth career game of at least 50 points in the playoffs. Leads Bulls to NBA championship. Member of gold medal-winning U.S. Olympic basketball team.

June 2, 1993 -- Has a triple-double (29 points, 10 rebounds, 14 assists) in playoff game against New York.

June 20, 1993 -- Highest scoring average in NBA Finals history, 41.0 points against Phoenix, as Bulls win third straight title, in six games. Becomes first player named Finals MVP three years in a row.

1992-1993 -- Averages 32.6 points to tie Wilt Chamberlain's NBA record of seven straight scoring titles. Scores his 20,000th point, becoming the second-fastest player to reach the mark.

Aug. 3, 1993 -- The body of Jordan's father, James, is found in South Carolina. Authorities determine he was killed July 23 in North Carolina. Two men are eventually convicted in the murder.

Oct. 6, 1993 -- Jordan stuns the basketball world by retiring, saying he has nothing left to prove in basketball.

December 1993 -- Jordan begins playing baseball, eyeing a tryout with the Chicago White Sox.

Feb. 7, 1994 -- Jordan signs free-agent contract with the White Sox, saying he is not afraid to fail. The team invites him to spring training.

March 31, 1994 -- White Sox assign Jordan to the Class AA Birmingham Barons of the Southern League.

April 8, 1994 -- Jordan starts his first pro baseball game, playing right field. For the season, Jordan bats .202 with 51 RBIs, 30 stolen bases and 114 strikeouts in 127 games. His presence boosts attendance throughout the Southern League.

Sept. 9, 1994 -- Jordan scores 52 points in a charity basketball game set up by former Bulls teammate Scottie Pippen. After the game -- the last one at Chicago Stadium -- Jordan kneels and kisses the center of the floor.

Sept.-Nov. 1994 -- Jordan plays for the Scottsdale Scorpions of Arizona Fall League, batting .252 in 35 games.

Nov. 1, 1994 -- Bulls retire Jordan's No. 23 and unveil a statue of him in front of the United Center.

Feb. 17, 1995 -- Jordan turns 32 in Sarasota, Fla., as the White Sox open spring training.

March 2, 1995 -- Jordan leaves White Sox spring training camp after the team is split into those who will play exhibition games and those who won't. Jordan had vowed earlier to stay out of the middle of the baseball strike.

March 7-9, 1995 -- Jordan's appearances at the Bulls' training facility prompt speculation he will return to basketball.

March 18, 1995 -- Jordan and the Bulls announce he will rejoin the team and play in the next day's nationally televised game against the Pacers in Indianapolis.

March 19, 1995 -- Wearing No. 45, the same number he wore for the Barons and as a basketball player in junior high school, Jordan plays 38 minutes, scoring 19 points on 7-for-28 shooting with six rebounds and six assists in Chicago's 103-96 overtime loss to Indiana.

March 28, 1995 -- In his fifth game back, Jordan scores 55 points on 21-for-37 shooting in Chicago's 113-111 victory at New York.

May 18, 1995 -- Jordan and the Bulls are knocked out of the playoffs by the Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference semifinals. It is the first time a Jordan-led Chicago team is bounced from the playoffs since 1989-90.

Oct. 29, 1996 -- Jordan is named as a member of NBA's 50 greatest players.

June 16, 1996 -- Jordan leads Chicago over Seattle in the NBA Finals in his first full season back since retirement. The Bulls win an NBA season-record 72 games and Jordan wins his eighth scoring title, is named regular season MVP, NBA Finals MVP and All-Star Game MVP.

Nov. 30, 1996 -- Jordan scores 25,000th career point in San Antonio.

March 18, 1997 -- Jordan has 18 rebounds in a game against Seattle.

June 13, 1997 -- Jordan and the Bulls win their second straight NBA title -- fifth overall -- by defeating Utah in six games.

1996-97 -- Jordan wins his second consecutive scoring title, ninth overall, and is named NBA Finals MVP for the second straight season.

March 27, 1998 -- The largest crowd in NBA history -- 62,046 -- shows up at the Georgia Dome. Jordan scores 34 points in Chicago's 89-74 win over Atlanta.

April 3, 1998 -- Jordan scores 41 points against Minnesota to become the third player in NBA history to reach 29,000 points. The others are Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Wilt Chamberlain.

June 14, 1998 -- Jordan steals the ball from Karl Malone and makes the championship-winning shot against Utah in Game 6. Chicago wins its third straight NBA title and sixth in eight years. It is the second time in the decade the Bulls won three consecutive titles.

1997-98 -- Jordan wins his third straight scoring title and 10th of his career. Named regular season MVP, NBA Finals MVP and All-Star Game MVP.

Jan. 13, 1999 -- Officially announces his retirement from the NBA, saying he is "99.9 percent" sure he would never return.

Dec. 26, 1999 -- Named Athlete of the Century by ESPN, beating out Babe Ruth.

Jan. 19, 2000 -- Joins the Washington Wizards as part-owner and president of basketball operations. Jordan also acquires an ownership stake in the Washington Capitals.

Sept. 10, 2001 -- Says he is nearing a decision on a comeback, strongly hinting he will return. "I'm doing it for the love of the game. Nothing else," he said.

Sept. 25, 2001 -- Jordan makes return official, agreeing to a two-year deal to play for the Wizards.

Oct. 30, 2001 -- Jordan in first regular season game since coming out of retirement, scored 19 points as the Wizards lose to the New York Knicks 93-91 at Madison Square Garden.

Nov. 28, 2002 -- Jordan announces he will retire -- for the third time -- at the end of the season.