Jordan's son returning to Illini, coach announces

Michael Jordan's son Jeff has returned to the Illinois basketball team.
2009-10 preview
![]() Can't wait for the college hoops season to start? We get you ready for 2009-10 with our preseason guide HERE. |
The 6-foot-1, 185-pound reserve guard quit the team in June but had recently expressed a desire to return to the Fighting Illini.
"Jeff recently indicated his interest in coming back to the team," Illinois coach Bruce Weber said in a statement released by the school on Friday night. "After meeting with him and discussing the situation, we are pleased to give him this opportunity. He has obviously missed a great deal of time away from the program the last six months, and he has a lot of work ahead of him."
Weber also said Jordan, who played 8.4 minutes per game last season and averaged one point per game, must still fulfill certain conditions to earn his way back onto the team.
"At this time, his focus needs to be on his academic work and catching up to his teammates in practice," Weber said. "Jeff is a determined young man, and he has expressed to us that he is willing to make the total commitment necessary for a successful return."
Jordan starred in high school at Loyola Academy in Wilmette, a Chicago suburb, but wasn't heavily recruited. He chose to walk on at Illinois rather than accept a scholarship from Valparaiso.
Illinois, which won 24 games last season and reached the NCAA tournament, opens the regular season Nov. 13 against Southern Illinois-Ewardsville.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.