Michael Jordan (Photo by Anne-Christine Poujoulat/AFP via Getty Images)
Not every athlete can be LeBron James or Megan Rapinoe when it comes to speaking on political matters, but many people love Michael Jordan and listen intensely to anything he says.
Jordan has been criticized for prioritizing personal profit over politics, but with another election season in full swing, it has become clear to whom he seems to have allegiance.
Michael Jordan hasn’t said much politically heading into the 2024 election. Still, it should be noted that he has shown previous support for Black Lives Matter, which is something aligned with the Democratic party. He has also donated millions to voter suppression issues.
“We have been beaten down [as African Americans] for so many years. It sucks your soul,” he said in 2020, according to The Washington Post. “You can’t accept it anymore. This is a tipping point. We need to make a stand. We’ve got to be better as a society regarding race.”
He added: “We understand that one of the main ways we can change systemic racism is at the polls.
“We know it will take time for us to create the change we want to see, but we are working quickly to take action for the Black Community’s voice to be heard.”
It should be noted that Michael Jordan famously said, “Republicans buy sneakers, too,” in the fifth episode of ESPN’s “The Last Dance.”
Jordan, who has largely avoided political commentary throughout his public life, did come out and state that he made the comment in jest.
“I don’t think that statement needs to be corrected because I said it in jest on a bus with Horace Grant and Scottie Pippen,” Jordan said. “It was thrown off the cuff. My mother asked to do a PSA for Harvey Gantt, and I said, ‘Look, Mom, I’m not speaking out of pocket about someone that I don’t know. But I will send a contribution to support him.’ Which is what I did.
“I do commend Muhammad Ali for standing up for what he believed in. But I never thought of myself as an activist. I thought of myself as a basketball player.
“I wasn’t a politician when I was playing my sport. I was focused on my craft. Was that selfish? Probably. But that was my energy. That’s where my energy was.”
In 1990, Jordan was asked to make an endorsement in a divisive U.S. Senate race in North Carolina between Republican Jesse Helms and Democratic challenger Harvey Gantt when he made that comment.
Michael Jordan Gets Health Update After Concerning Picture
Michael Jordan had fans worried about his health following a recent picture from his trip to Europe.
Fans were left concerned after the whites of Michael Jordan’s eyes appeared yellow in pictures.
A large number of fans thought it could be jaundice, a condition that yellows the eyes and skin.
However, a source close to Jordan insists that he is healthy and actively visits his doctor.
“Mike is OK. He goes to the doctor, he is just getting older, and the recent pics are in no way or should be a reason for concern,” the source said.
“There is nothing wrong with him. Like everyone, we should get a little more exercise and Mike enjoys the life he has made for himself, but there isn’t any hidden illness that he is dealing with.”
