Most fans are aware of how Scottie Pippen was underpaid by the Chicago Bulls , but what's interesting is that Michael Jordan experienced something similar for 11 of 13 seasons with the team.
Despite being one of the most profitable personalities and leading faces in the NBA since entering in 1984, the five-time MVP never pressured his team into paying him more by publicly discussing his contract issues.
Jordan never made his contract disputes public
Just like Anthony Edwards confidently boasts about his supremacy in the modern-day NBA, Mike was never shy about proclaiming himself superior to other players during his era. This trait made him somewhat of a fan and media favorite. However, the 14-time All-Star never leveraged this position to negotiate contracts that were higher than what other stars of his time were paid.
In his interview with Marvin R. Shaken, the 6'6" shooting guard emphasized how he kept his tongue in check in front of the media, especially on financial matters.
"When I speak, I speak with conviction. If I feel like it's something that best suits me and my person, I deal with it. I say it. I have no problem speaking out publicly about issues. But for personal things, and for things about personal selfishness or wanting more money, I don't do that, " Jordan said . "Once I give my word, that's it. I don't go back to renegotiate. I don't renegotiate my contracts."
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Mike stayed with the Bulls despite being underpaid
When Mr. Air entered the league, everyone knew he possessed star potential, but despite that, he did not earn more than $1 million annually in salaries alone during the first four years. During the first three-peat, Jordan's salary never topped more than $4 million for a single season; today, that is much closer to the veteran minimum than a star salary.
It wasn't until his second-to-last season with Chicago that he got a paycheck reflecting his status as the league's best, earning $30 million a year. In his final season with the Bulls, his salary increased to $33 million; during that season, he earned 60 times his rookie salary.
Interestingly, Jordan could have forced the Bulls' hand by going public about being underpaid, but that wasn't his intention or his style. Though he was arguably the greatest sporting icon during his playing days, he never leveraged his fame and stardom to pressure the Bulls to earn more profits financially, as his goal was to win.
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