How Michael Jordan’s daughter is building her own brand in Charlotte

Michael Jordan’s daughter sums up what it was like to grow up in Chicago as the daughter of an NBA star, and now the Charlotte Hornets majority owner, with one word: Normal.

“I didn’t know how big of a deal Michael Jordan was at that time,” said Jasmine Jordan, 25. “I merely saw him as my dad. When he would leave for games or road trips, in my eyes, he was just going to work. When I attended games, as a child, I was watching him work.”

Now Jordan, who has lived in Charlotte for four years (in both South End and Uptown) is doing work of her own as a field representative in sports marketing for Jordan Brand, focused on the east coast. She also works as a brand contributor and ambassador for the premier women’s line, and has established herself as a fashionable social media influencer.

She still derives inspiration from her dad.

“He has always told me to ‘do whatever you want as long as you’re happy,’” she said. “It may sound cliché, but that drives me.”

In her day job, she primarily works with the Jordan Brand athletes playing for the Charlotte Hornets.

“As a rep for the brand, I ensure that the players receive their products in a timely manner throughout the season as well as during the off-season,” she said.

She even got a nod from Essence for debuting the Air Jordan “Heiress” XI, which the publication called “a feminine take on the classic shoe.”

At the moment, Jordan feels equally passionate about sports and fashion.

“Fashion, like basketball, allows people to be viewed as icons in their field,” she said. “To be viewed as a fashion icon or trend setter is an accomplishment many hope to achieve. it’s like winning the NBA Championship or league MVP. They may appear to be two different fields but as they continue to evolve; the connection is more evident.”

While she’s busy building her own brand at work and on social media, she still sports her dad’s brand. The profile linked to her Instagram handle, @mickijae, includes the label “Daughter of Michael Jordan.”

“I include that on my social media pages because I’m proud to be his daughter,” she said. “It is a part of who I am. For me, it’s merely a conversation piece. I put it out in the forefront from the beginning so people can ask their questions or share their favorite stories of my dad with me and then we continue the conversation or business as usual.”

Jordan has clearly done the work to grow her own brand — she has 65,000 Instagram followers, for starters. The @mickijae handle is a play on her middle name Mickael, pronounced “muh-kel,” and the first initial of her last name.

“I am confident that I will be recognized as just Jasmine Jordan, as I continue to build my own brand,” Jordan said.

Charlotte has a chance to get to know her brand better this month at her WP Kitchen + Bar Feeds the Need event on April 26 to support the nonprofit established by her boyfriend of three years, the Rakeem Christmas Foundation. From 5-10 p.m., 10 percent of sales will go directly to the foundation.

“Rakeem founded the Rakeem Christmas Foundation back in 2016,” she said. “The goal is to create safe havens for kids to grow and play back in his home of St. Croix. The people of St. Croix have shown me nothing but love every time we go back and they have a special place in my heart.”

If she’s not traveling to St. Croix, or for work, Jordan (a self-described homebody) can generally be found at home watching SportsCenter with Christmas and their two dogs, Mila and Montana.

And if you do bump into her — at WP or around town — Jordan wants you to see her as a person beyond the brands.

“I want people who interact with me to see that I’m a product of my parents’ nourishment and discipline,” she said. “I am a humble and positive person. I’m honest and carefree and live my life to the fullest. I look forward to connecting with new people always.”

Featured photo courtesy of Jasmine Jordan’s Instagram, @mickijae

This story was originally published April 19, 2018 at 1:00 AM.