Off the court, Michael Jordan dealt with controversies regarding his gambling habits throughout his career. When he retired in 1993, following his father's death, rumors swirled that it wasn't a retirement but the NBA's way of reprimanding him for his gambling addiction.
While the rumors seem to make sense, longtime Chicago Bulls writer Sam Smith dismissed the notion. Smith stressed that if that was ever the case, there's no way journalists wouldn't have known if the NBA brass had really suspended Jordan due to gambling.
"It's not possible to keep a secret in the NBA," Smith said in the 2010 ESPN documentary about MJ's time in baseball, 'Jordan Rides The Bus.' "So this notion that somehow the NBA suspended the greatest player in the history of the NBA — forced him out of the game — and now, almost 20 years later, nobody still knows about this, is just ludicrous."
The rumors pushed MJ over the edge
Apart from the narrative stating Jordan was suspended due to gambling, some rumors linked his father's tragic death to a personal vendetta against him. Having covered MJ and the Bulls for years, Smith knew that the untimely passing of Michael's father deeply affected him, leading to questions about his priorities and future in the NBA.
That said, Smith also refuted the said murder angle. However, Sam said that the unwanted stress and negativity it caused were among the factors that prompted Jordan to take a break.
"There were stories written that were horrible and that, I think, helped push him over the edge toward retirement in '93 – stories that were raising questions or making suggestions that maybe his father was murdered because of him or because of his gambling debts. I mean, it was the height of irresponsibility; it was just sort of thrown out there. But you can imagine how he and his family felt about seeing something like that, especially with how close he was with his father," Smith once said.
Related: Michael Jordan opens up about his older brother Larry not making the NBA: "He has always been a good player, but he just didn't grow enough"
It didn't stop MJ from gambling
Despite the scrutiny he had to endure stemming from his gambling habits, Jordan remained unfazed. In fact, high-stakes gambling even became a staple platform for his competitive nature besides basketball and some of his NBA peers could attest to that.
To this day, accounts detailing MJ's penchant for wagering large sums of money in casinos, golf, and even friendly card games still surface. Judging by how Michael unapologetically gambled while dominating the game all those years, it's safe to say that the NBA didn't have a serious issue with his gambling addiction.
Related: "He wants to play for more money than you can afford to lose" - Michael Jordan's golf buddy recalls his insane gambling stakes
Most Popular
Comments / 0