Michael Jordan played a little help defense Friday ... packing boxes full of food for Hurricane Florence victims.
The Hornets owner was front and center on the assembly line -- boxing up cereal and other goods for people affected by the storm that barreled into the East Coast last week.
It's a cause Jordan's clearly been affected by ... 'cause the NBA's best ever also donated $2 MILLION to the relief efforts Tuesday.
BTW ... M.J.'s shirt -- a Hornets logo sandwiched between North and South Carolina -- is for sale, with all the proceeds going to Florence victims as well.