"Still playing" - Throwback to an insane moment when MLB legend Derek Jeter accurately predicted his retirement in an interview alongside Michael Jordan and Serena Williams
Derek Jeter once predicted his retirement from baseball in a candid interview alongside NBA legend Michael Jordan and 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams.
In 2004, Derek Jeter, Michael Jordan, and Serena Williams sat for an interview with renowned sports commentator Ahmad Rashad, asking them what the road ahead was in their respective careers. Jeter said:
"Still playing."
The prediction couldn't have been more precise, with the former Yankee man calling it quits in 2014, ten years on. His career in the MLB began in 1995, winning the AL Rookie of the Year in 1996. During his time, he proved to be one of the best players in the sport. Jeter led the New York Yankees to five World Series titles between 1996 and 2014.
In the same interview, Jeter also spoke about how his parents were a big influence as a kid to try his hand at baseball. He said:
"My parents were huge. I mean, I remember growing up, this is all I ever wanted to do. My father was a short-stop, so I just wanted to be like him. They're always real supporters. Never negative, but that's where my desire to win everything came from."
Derek Jeter always kept his private life under wraps throughout his MLB career
Jeter was known to not share much about his private life, including his family and friends. The Hall of Famer admitted to trying to stay away from the limelight. He once disclosed the same in an interview with Chris Myers in 2013. Jeter said:
"I know people are curious to know but I think there has to be some line drawn and I try to keep some things private. I don’t open up about everything. I don’t bring the game home. When the game is over, you try to forget about it."
The 48-year-old revealed that he did not like hearing anything negative from the media while in season, which could have been instrumental to his success. His individual honors include an astounding 14 All-Star selections, five Gold Glove Awards and five Silver Slugger Awards. He was also inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in September 2021.