I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.
Michael Jordan
- Born
- 1963
- Occupations
- basketball player, baseball player, spokesperson
Facts: Wikidata (CC0), as of 2026-07-09
Most of Jordan's quotable material traces to a few sources: the 1997 'I've missed more than 9,000 shots' Nike commercial (written as ad copy, but delivered by Jordan about his own record), his Hall of Fame induction speech, and The Last Dance. The failure-as-fuel framing is authentically his -- teammates and coaches recount him manufacturing slights to stay motivated, a habit the documentary made a meme.
Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.
Michael Jordan