Michael Jordan On Claims He Had A Gambling Issue: I Never Bet On Games + Admits ‘I Would Never Want To Be A Role Model’

Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan On Claims He Had A Gambling Issue: I Never Bet On Games + Admits ‘I Would Never Want To Be A Role Model’

As Michael Jordan’s documentary The Last Dance came to an end, the legendary basketball star addressed past allegations that he had a gambling addiction. The documentary, itself, retells the story of Michael Jordan’s journey through the NBA Playoffs, in 1993. During the Eastern Conference Finals, Michael Jordan was criticized after losing Game 2. Reports stated that Jordan and his father went to Atlantic City, N.J., to “gamble” the night before the game.

Jordan stated that his problem did not lie with gambling, but with competition, instead. The former Chicago Bulls player said:

“I never bet on games. I only bet on myself, and that was golf […] Do I like to play blackjack? Yeah, I like playing blackjack. There’s no laws with that. The league did call me, and they asked me questions about it, and I told them exactly what was happening.”

After an investigation by the National Basketball Association, it was determined that Jordan was not involved in “betting on any games”. Former NBA Commissioner, the late David Stern, stated in The Last Dance that Jordan’s entire earnings were not impacted by his alleged problem.

“Michael was betting on his golf game … larger numbers than you or I might bet if we played golf together. But given his earnings and the like, it just never reached epic, crisis levels in my view.”

Amid allegations of gambling and the press constantly keeping a close eye on his every move, Jordan stated:

“If I had a chance to do it all over again, I would never want to be considered a role model. It’s like a game that’s stacked against me.” 

Watch The Last Dance Episode 6, below.

Do you believe Michael Jordan had a gambling addiction or a competition problem? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.