What happened to Michael Jordan's dad? How and when did James R. Jordan die?

The first two episodes of Michael Jordan's documentary aired on Sunday. The Last Dance is set to revolve around Jordan's 1997-98 season, where he won his sixth and last NBA championship. While the first two episodes of the documentary explored his introduction and subsequent early years in the NBA, experts are speculating if the 10-part docu-series will explore the circumstances of when did Michael Jordan's dad die.

What remains an unsolved case till date, the news 'Michael Jordan dad killed' was shortly followed by the news that Jordan had decided to retire from the NBA in order to try his hand at professional baseball. While his baseball stint didn't quite go as planned, Jordan made a return to the NBA to win his second three-peat with Chicago Bulls. However, fans are till date wondering, what happened to Michael Jordan's dad.

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What happened to Michael Jordan's dad? When did Michael Jordan's dad die?

Answering the question, 'What happened to Michael Jordan's dad?', Jordan's father James R. Jordan was killed by two men - Daniel Andre Green and Larry Martin Demery. Michael Jordan's dad was killed on July 23, 1993, by Green and Demery while James R. Jordan was sleeping in his car. According to The Chicago Tribune, Jordan's father was killed by one .38-caliber bullet to the heart. However, it remains unknown who pulled the trigger. 

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What happened to Michael Jordan's dad? Michael Jordan dad killed

What was reported as a botched robbery, James R. Jordan's body was found 11 days after the murder, in a swamp in McColl, South Carolina, per The Chicago Tribune. The motive behind the murder remains a mystery till date. The latest events in regards to the murder are that Green's attorney claims he did not pull the trigger and was merely helping Demery. It was even reported that Green would be considered for parole after his initial sentence of life in prison.

What happened to Michael Jordan's dad? Michael Jordan dad gambling issues?

While Jordan's history with gambling is well known and broadly documented, in the late 1990s, the rumour mill suggested Jordan's dad was also a gambler which could have led to his murder. Fans even speculated that Jordan's dad was killed by the mafia. However, those rumours were later proven to be untrue.

Michael Jordan dad killed: How did Jordan react

With the media busy speculating the motive behind the murder, Jordan gave an interview after announcing his retirement claiming the only positive he could take from the event was his dad being able to see his last NBA game before his passing. Jordan, who believed he was done with the NBA for good, said he was not interested in knowing the motive as it would just hurt him more. 

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Michael Jordan dad killed: James R. Jordan's interview after MJ won his career first NBA title

Jordan's father was always seen motivating the Bulls legend during his NBA career. Jordan's first three-peat saw the NBA star alongside his father in each of the three finals. It remains to be seen if the documentary delves into the details surrounding the murder of Jordan's father and how it impacted his career moving forward.

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