Michael Jordan, when he lost over $500,000, claimed that his family had no problem with gambling
The greatness of Michael Jordan as a basketball player in the 90s was indeed overwhelming, as he took the game to new heights. Even with his contribution to basketball, the media found a way to put a blemish on Jordan's reputation and that was his high-stakes gambling.
Jordan was making a lot of money back in the 90s, especially with his lucrative Nike deal over his NBA salary. Looking to this decade, the stigma of gambling is not a big issue already but back then, that was the biggest thing thrown at the six-time NBA champion.
Michael Jordan felt that he didn't break any law with his gambling habit and it is unfair for the public to judge him on that.
"I felt that it was unfair that I was considered a criminal for doing something that is not illegal. Gambling is legal and betting is legal," says Jordan in an interview with Ahmad Rashad of NBC. "For what I bet, yeah, it's a little bit more than I wanted to lose, I mean, I didn't bet to lose but I lost it and I paid off all my debts. I didn't want to go to NBC, anyone else, to let him know 'hey, I lost $500,000'.
With all the news circulating, Michael Jordan insists that if he ever had a gambling problem, his family and former wife, Juanita, would tell him.
"My family's not starving. My wife, if I had a problem, would have left me. No certainly, w hen it came to me and say, seek help from my family, my mother and father, we're close-knit people and have monitored me when I was a kid and I was born up until where I am now and if ever had a problem, they never had a problem telling me that I have a problem," Jordan adds.
Watch: Michael Jordan talks about gambling in an NBC interview
Michael Jordan and his gambling issues revisited in 'The Last Dance'
During the pandemic, 'The Last Dance' documentary was released for fans to get their basketball fix while everything was on lockdown. The Netflix exclusive featured the last championship of the Chicago Bulls in the 1990s but it also backtracked Michael Jordan's journey in the NBA.
In the documentary, the 10-time scoring champion and his 'gambling problems' were reexamined and defended by reporters as well, including NBA Commissioner David Stern. Looking back, the former league executive revealed that he was never alarmed by Jordan's gambling habits.
“It never reached epic crisis levels in my view," Stern said in the documentary. "As far as the NBA is concerned, Michael Jordan did nothing wrong, and I resent any implications to the contrary."
The views on gambling are very different in current times, as leagues are partnering up with betting sites as part of a sponsorship deal. Jordan's gambling seems to be much more understandable as compared to the 90's.