Michael Jordan's boat crew returns empty-handed in $7.5 million fishing competition

Former Space Jam star Michael Jordan's boat crew failed to win a fishing competition, losing the chance to win a big prize money. Jordan's boat joined the 66th annual Big Rock Blue Marlin competition in Morehead City, North Carolina. The competition was worth a total purse of $7.5 million, but the former NBA star came up short in getting a piece from the prize pool.

While the NBA Finals were underway, Jordan enjoyed a different kind of competition away from land. His boat, 'Catch 23.' caught a 400-pound fish throughout the weekend. However, their rival boat 'Game Time' beat them by reeling in a 516-pounder blue marlin, which was the heaviest during the contest.

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Catch 23 had a crew of seven anglers and a captain. Jordan did not participate in the contest himself.

According to TMZ Sports, Jordan and his boat have had success in the previous times they've joined the fishing competitions. In 2023, they finished third place in the 32nd annual MidAtlantic Fishing tournament's white marlin division. They reportedly caught a 75-pound white marlin. The boat also competed in the Big Rock Blue Marlin tournament in 2020, where they finished second-to-last, catching a 442.3-pound fish that year.

Although the Bulls legend lost the tournament, he still captured the attention of many onlookers. He used his new 82-foot boat for the first time over the weekend.

Moving forward, the 67th Big Rock Blue Marlin contest will take place in June 2025 and Jordan will have a shot at redemption.

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Michael Jordan recently won a fishing tournament before the Big Rock Blue Marlin contest

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Since retiring from the NBA, Jordan has channeled his competitiveness into golf, race cars, and now fishing. Although his boat failed in the recent contest in North Carolina, Jordan's boat won the competition they joined last month.

Jordan and his crew won The Shootout 24 in Abaco, The Bahamas. The team dominated the tournament by catching four blue marlins, five white marlins and a sailfish. Catch 23 scored 2450 points, which put them at the top. The second-placed vessel, Lo Que Sea, garnered 1900 points during the tournament.

The six-time champion participated with his crew and significantly contributed to their success. Jordan caught three of the four blue marlins and one of the five white marlins. Catch 23's captain, Stetson Turney won the top captain award of the contest.

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Despite their recent loss, Jordan his team can look back proudly on their performance during The Shootout 24.

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