Passion or Profession: Basketball Player

Period: 1963–to-date

Jordan first gained recognition for his basketball skills while playing for the University of North Carolina. Shortly before joining the NBA, he helped the U.S. team win a gold medal at the 1984 Olympics. He would win another in 1992, along with a string of other awards, including six NBA championships and multiple Most Valuable Player awards. Until his final retirement from basketball in 2003, he was widely recognized as the best player in the game. He was perhaps even better known for his series of product endorsements ranging from Nike to Gatorade that earned him at least $40 million per year at his peak.