Michael Jordan received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016

Michael Jordan received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016. The Presidential Medal of Freedom is an honor given by the President of the United States to those who have made "an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors." The Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal is the United States' highest civilian honors. The medal is not limited to citizens of the United States, and while it is a civilian award, it can also be given to military troops and worn on their uniforms. President John F. Kennedy introduced it in 1963, succeeding President Harry S. Truman's Medal of Freedom, which was established in 1945 to commemorate civilian service during World War II.

There are no specified criteria for getting the award with distinction; Executive Order 11085 only states that the honor should come in two degrees, and so the choice to give the higher degree is entirely at the president's discretion. President Obama remarked in 2017 that getting the medal with distinction reflects an additional level of respect in a class of people who are already held in the highest regard.

According to Wire, Michael Jordan accepted the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Tuesday at the White House, with Vin Scully, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and other American icons. Jordan, the Chicago Bulls icon and Charlotte Hornets owner, was one of 21 people to receive the medal, which is considered the highest civilian distinction that America can bestow on its citizens. Jordan is widely considered one of the best athletes of all time, and many consider him to be the greatest basketball player of all time, having won six championships with the Chicago Bulls and five MVP awards, among many other honors.