When Michael Jordan expressed loathe for spotlight after being famous with Chicago Bulls: "I’m an evil, nasty person”
During the 1990s, only a few people on earth were more famous than Michael Jordan. Along with becoming the face of the NBA, the six-time Finals MVP was slowly gaining fans across the globe.
While most people would love to have this kind of fame and success, that wasn't the case for Michael Jordan. He regularly opened up on his struggles with being in the public eye to a high degree.
Just before he began leading the Chicago Bulls to multiple NBA titles, Jordan sat down with GQ to discuss an array of topics. At one point, the topic of fame and attention from fans was brought up. In response, the young guard revealed he needed to lay low for extended periods when he felt it was getting to be too much for him:
“I go into hiding. I stay in. There are many days I don’t want to be around people and I’m an evil, nasty person.”
Not too long ago, fans saw firsthand how much Jordan didn't like being in public during ESPN's "The Last Dance" documentary.
Michael Jordan has a similar post-basketball life as another NBA legend
When it comes to the NBA's greatest players, they typically hang around when their playing days are over. Some examples of this include Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who have never really left the public eye. Despite being seen as the best ever, Michael Jordan has managed to fade into the background.
Since his final retirement, the Chicago Bulls icon hasn't been seen much. He is still connected to the game, though, as he is the owner of the Charlotte Hornets. Outside of that, he lives his life away from the public eye.
Jordan's life following his playing days has drawn a lot of comparisons with another NBA Hall of Famer. That being Boston Celtics legend Larry Bird.
Like Jordan, Bird did not care much for the fame that came with being an NBA star. "The Hick From French Lick" was a rather quiet person who only cared about basketball. His personality did not exactly match what most would expect from a professional athlete.
Bird also hung around the game after retiring in 1992. He coached the Indiana Pacers for two seasons before moving into their front office for nearly 15 years. Bird walked away for good in 2017.
Jordan has no problem making appearances now, but it's evident he prefers to live life outside of the spotlight.