Comedian TK Kirkland says cheap habit of Michael Jordan has caused danger to millions of African-Americans - "Wouldn't tip really well"
Michael Jordan is widely known for being arguably the greatest basketball player of all-time. However, comedian TK Kirkland shared a habit of Jordan's that had a lot of negative connotations for African-Americans.
Outside of basketball, Jordan was known for a lot of things. Jordan was a lot more than a basketball player in the 90's. He was a brand. Given his impact on and off the court, Jordan possessed and exhibited a lot of influence in general.
However, as positive as his impact was, Jordan wasn't flawless. One might consider his gambling problem a flaw, but comedian TK Kirkland recently shared another that had an adverse impact on the African-American community.
In an interview "VladTV", Kirkland spoke about Jordan's tipping habits. The comedian said that he used to spend a lot of time with the Bulls star:
"I remember, but Michael Jordan wouldn't tip really well back in the day, and I see how that's led on. It's just my opinion, but I see how this has led to what he's doing now. Instead of him, to me, taking money and being an activist for Afro-American men, he puts Afro-American men, women and Caucasians in jeopardy because of the way they sell the shoes."
Kirkland said that people would kill for the sneakers. He suggested that the shoes should be made available to overcome such social issues. However, he added:
"You got Michael Jordan who will set you up to kill somebody to get the sneaker, but he's also a huge investor in prisons across America."
Kirkland also said that Jordan once tipped $20 on a $1000 bill. Needless to say, tipping 5% is not a great sign.
Kirkland's comments certainly displayed Jordan in a worse light when considering his legacy off the court. While also considering the context in which Kirkland discussed the difference between Jordan and LeBron James, it's a bad look for the former.
Michael Jordan's legacy off the court
Michael Jordan built on his brand after retiring from the game of basketball. While the Jordan brand continues to be one of his biggest and most successful ventures, he has other ventures, too.
Jordan is the owner of the Charlotte Hornets. Although the franchise hasn't been very successful, the former NBA player has succeeded in purchasing a franchise of his own.
Meanwhile, he also famously branched out into the culinary industry during his playing days itself. With two restaurants in Chicago opening in the 90's, Jordan expanded his business ventures quite successfully.