Michael B. Jordan has spent much of his life learning how to live up to — and ultimately grow into — his name.

In a January 4 interview on CBS Sunday Morning, the 38-year-old actor reflected on the unique challenge of sharing his name with basketball icon Michael Jordan. Speaking with correspondent Tracy Smith, the Sinners star admitted that growing up with such a famous name was far from easy.

“It was a big problem,” Jordan said candidly. “I got teased so much, to the point where I almost changed my name.”

The constant comparisons pushed him to consider using his middle name, Bakari, as a way to carve out his own identity. At the time, he felt an intense need to prove himself. “It made me competitive,” he explained. “I wanted to be good at something — I wanted to be great — just so I could feel like I had my own sense of self.”

With time and perspective, Jordan now sees the experience differently. Looking back, he believes sharing a name with the NBA legend played a meaningful role in shaping who he is today. “It was part of the alchemy that made me who I am,” he said, acknowledging that the pressure ultimately fueled his ambition rather than holding him back.

Smith also noted that Bakari, Jordan’s middle name, means “noble promise” in Swahili and asked whether he feels he has lived up to that meaning. Jordan responded with confidence and optimism. “I feel like I’m walking in that and will continue to do so,” he said. “There’s still so much more to accomplish. We’re just getting started.”

Jordan was named after his father, Michael A. Jordan, who, as he revealed during a recent Variety Actors on Actors conversation, is actually older than the basketball superstar often associated with the name. The clarification highlights how deeply personal the name is to him, separate from its global fame.

Before becoming one of Hollywood’s most respected leading men, Jordan began his career as a child model. He transitioned into acting at a young age, landing his breakout role as Wallace on The Wire in 2002. That performance quickly established him as a powerful young talent. He went on to star as Reggie Porter Montgomery on All My Children starting in 2003, followed by a major role on Friday Night Lights from 2009 to 2011.

In 2013, Jordan received widespread critical acclaim for Fruitvale Station, directed by Ryan Coogler — a collaboration that would later define much of his career. The pair went on to work together on Creed and Black Panther, both of which cemented Jordan’s status as a box-office draw and cultural force. His latest film, Sinners (2025), is already generating serious Oscar buzz.

In a November interview with PEOPLE, Jordan reflected on how his time in daytime television unexpectedly opened doors in Hollywood. “My time on soap operas ended up being one of the biggest surprises of my career,” he said. Casting directors and executives often recognized him through their families, creating opportunities he never anticipated.

Beyond exposure, soap operas also shaped his work ethic. “We were doing a hundred-plus pages a day,” Jordan recalled. “That grind gave me discipline early on. It built a work ethic that’s still with me today.”

Together, those early experiences — from navigating a famous name to mastering demanding roles — helped mold Jordan into the actor he is now. Rather than being defined by comparisons, Michael B. Jordan has forged his own legacy, one marked by determination, resilience, and an unwavering drive for greatness.