Michael Jordan sets inspirational record ahead of his 60th birthday

Jordan started working with the Make-A-Wish Foundation in 1989 and has since granted hundreds of wishes to children with critical illnesses. His $10 million gift is the biggest single gift that Make-A-Wish has ever received.

"I can't think of a better birthday gift than seeing others join me in supporting Make-A-Wish so that every child can experience the magic of having their wish come true," Jordan said, hoping to inspire other donations, per CBS News' Caitlin O'Kane.

The Charlotte Hornets owner has been quite generous in his giving in recent years, after years of being criticized for his lack of political activism. The controversy stems back to the 1990 Senate race in North Carolina, when Jordan declined to endorse Sen. Jesse Helms' opponent. Jordan said, "Republicans buy sneakers, too." Jordan later said he was joking, and he sent a contribution to the challenger, former Charlotte Mayor Harvey Gantt.

In 2021, Jordan donated $10 million to open two medical clinics in Wilmington, North Carolina, his hometown, four years after his $7 million donation built two clinics in Charlotte.

In 2020, in the wake of the George Floyd protests, Jordan and Jordan Brand announced a $100 million donation, spread over 10 years to "organizations ensuring racial equality, social justice and greater access to education." Jordan Brand has also given full scholarships to hundreds of college students since 2015. Jordan donated $2 million in profits from "The Last Dance" to Feeding America, a charity that fights hunger, to provide meals during the pandemic.

Jordan is a billionaire, but plenty of billionaires don't make donations at this level. At the same time, he's still not particularly political, just charitable.