"I want to be like Mike!" - Michael Jordan gets special shoutout from $180 million rich Usher at latter's show
Michael Jordan doesn't often appear in TV shows and live music events. After his stint as the Charlotte Hornets' owner came to an end in the summer, his appearances have been very limited. However, he made an exception during the weekend when he attended an Usher concert.
Usher, whose net worth is estimated at $180 million by Celebrity Net Worth, celebrated his 45th birthday with a concert in Las Vegas. Jordan attended the event, along with his wife Yvette Prieto.
Usher and Jordan have been good friends for several years, with the famous singer being among the guests at Michael Jordan's wedding in 2013.
The NBA legend and Hall of Famer also offered Usher a special gift. Jordan gifted the 45-year-old singer a pair of The Usher Air Jordan 3, which were created back in 2014 to honor Usher.
Usher stopped his performance for a few minutes to welcome Jordan, who got a standing ovation from the crowd.
"Given to me personally by Michael Jordan who’s in the house tonight. We love you, Mike. I'm putting them on because I want to be like Mike!" Usher said during the concert.
What is Michael Jordan's relationship with the entertainment industry?
After retiring from basketball, Michael Jordan has been known mainly for his business moves and his tenure as the Hornets' owner.
However, he has formed a relationship with the entertainment industry over the years, mainly through his participation in movies and documentaries. Jordan has starred in documentaries about the Chicago Bulls dynasty of the 90s and especially his last championship with the franchise in the 1997-98 season.
Back in 2000, he was the main figure in a documentary made by IMAX, titled "Michael Jordan to the Max", which referred to the 1998 NBA playoffs. He has also featured in many other documentaries.
His highlights certainly are the "Last Dance", an ESPN documentary that explored the Bulls' final championship season (1997-98), and "Space Jam," an animation movie in which he played himself. The sequel of "Space Jam" came 25 years later, with LeBron James as the main star.
As for music, Jordan has not been among the athletes who have created music albums or featured in music videos, like fellow legend and Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal used to do.
The most recent case is Milwaukee Bucks superstar Damian Lillard, who performs under the nickname D.O.L.L.A and has released five rap albums and 15 songs.
Michael Jordan, though, maintains relationships with famous singers and songwriters, with two of them being Usher and Drake, the latter being an avid NBA fan as well.
Jordan remains one of the greatest basketball players of all time with six NBA championships and a Finals MVP award. He and LeBron James are in the conversation for the GOAT (Greatest of All Time) in basketball.