Michael Jordan is among the most successful basketball players in the history. His legendary career and billion-dollar empire have inspired millions of people worldwide. However, behind the basketball court, there are incredible secrets that most fans are not aware of. From scary health scares to unbelievable habits, let's look at some of the lesser-known aspects of Michael Jordan's life. Prepare yourself because you are about to discover the man behind the legend.
What if tomorrow is one of the biggest games of your life, and you are struck down by something as simple as a pizza? This might sound unreal but that is exactly what happened to Micahel Jordan during the NBA 1997 Finals. The game was tied between the Chicago Bulls and Utah Jazz at 2-2, and Michael Jordan was having a battle with himself as much as he had with the Jazz.
On the night before Game 5, Michael Jordan ordered a pizza from the only place that was open in Utah. Little did he know that this pizza would lead him curled up on the floor, shaking and unbale to eat. His personal trainer found him dehydrated, feverish, and with great difficulty in getting out of bed. Still, Michael Jordan did not back down.
Despite feeling utterly miserable, he played and obtained 38 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists. At the end of the night he was close to passing out in Scottie Pippen's arms. That guts is something else.
Even legends have weak points and in Jordan's case, that was the three-point line. During the 1993 NBA All-Star Weekend, In 1993, Jordan competed in the NBA Three-Point Contest, producing a performance that has left fans baffled. He hit only 5 of 25 three-pointers, although those shots were for the most part uncontested.
Not exactly the longest-range shooter of all time anyway, and that year his teammate Craig Hodges won. To say the least, three-point shooting wasn't his thing, and you can't be great at everything, though, right?
Michael Jordan is more than just an athlete, but a financial giant. He has a net worth of $2.2 billion, making him the richest athlete in the world. The money was made through his career, successful brand deals, and smart investments. Housed in five luxury property estates, he possesses an entrancing collection of cars that extend to Bugatti Veyrons and Ferrari 550
Maranello. Moreover, Jordan even invested $20 million in creating his golf course after he was banned from another for wearing cargo shorts.
At this point, the story takes a darker twist. Michael Jordan's competitive spirit is often described as his greatest strength. However, it also led to a severe gambling addiction. He lost $5 million in one night in Vegas and wagered $100,000 on rock-paper-scissors games. His gambling stories are well-known. At one time, he owed golf bets to a friend for $1.3 million. While likely not the root cause of his eventual collapse, it's more than evident Michael Jordan has a highly competitive nature, one which often put him on the very edge.
Even though Jordan is very confident, he has an intense fear of water. One terrible childhood experience, when he saw one of his close friends drowning, explains why he has a fear of water. The trauma was so great that he was careful whenever he was near the water. Since then, Jordan has been afraid of water. He will only board large vessels with life jackets on board, and the thought of being on small boats really upsets him.
The Air Jordan brand is known for its style, performance, and cultural importance. It officially started in 1997 as a part of Nike’s Airship shoes and has grown into its big brand. Now, Nike makes $3 million every five hours from the Jordan Brand, and Jordan himself gets 5% of all sales, which is $14.4 million daily. This shoe brand helps to strengthen Jordan’s legacy as a cultural icon beyond basketball.
After his father's tragic death, Michael Jordan decided to leave basketball and play baseball, a sport his father loved. He had a batting average of 202 when he joined the Birmingham Barons, a minor league team. His baseball career was short-lived, but it showed that he wanted to remember his father and try new things. It was a detour that added depth to his story, proving that greatness sometimes means stepping outside your comfort zone.
Even before entering the global stratosphere of superstardom, Michael Jordan was a student at the University of North Carolina, pursuing a degree in geography. On the brink of basketball stardom, he didn't give up on completing it. In 1986, following his induction into the NBA, MJ went back to college to wrap up his studies, perhaps for the prospect that the basketball promises would not materialize as expected.
Rather than becoming the next weatherman, Jordan would go on to change basketball for eternity. However, his interest in sports was largely influenced by his father, who had always wanted his son to play baseball. That is why MJ went on to play baseball after his first NBA retirement.
By now, you know that Micheal Jordan has a few vices, one of which is cigars. Jordan started to love cigars after winning his first NBA championship in 1991. After some time, cigars were a luxury and a habit in his life. Whether he is stressed or winning, cigars have been there for him. This shows that Jordan has a way of living based on what he likes and does.
Jordan is known for his strong desire to win—and sometimes, it goes too far. In one strange story, he cheated to win while playing cards with his teammate’s mother. This story shows how much he wants to be the best, even when the game is unimportant. For Jordan, winning was not just about getting trophies, it was a part of his life.
The $80 million superyacht owned by Jordan proves how extravagant his life is. It has a Michelin-starred chef and a fully equipped gym, and on top of that, it also includes a beach club. Moreover, maintaining this yacht costs about $1 million a week. The huge boat is representative of retelling his journey, a mere promenade of that from humble beginnings. He became an international star of the sport.
Michael Jordan is not only the greatest basketball player of all time but also a true legend. The untold stories in this article reveal the person behind the myth. Whatever your personal opinion about him, it is a fact that MJ's impact will be felt for generations to come.
