Michael Jordan, the 63-year-old NBA icon, has opened up about stepping away from basketball’s glare to pursue NASCAR ownership.
Jordan shared that the weight of expectations in basketball became overwhelming. “I wanted to get away from basketball in terms of what I represented in that arena… and how big I’ve gotten,” he explained in a recent CBS interview with Gayle King. “And it was such a huge burden for me in that sport.”
Lighter Load in Stock Car Racing
As co-owner of NASCAR Cup Series points leader Tyler Reddick’s team, Jordan finds the pressures far more manageable. “Here, the burden’s not quite the same,” he said. “But it’s something that I think keeps me alive.”
He appreciates the lower profile, though his team’s strong performance this season has drawn more attention than anticipated. “It’s a quieter life where I’m not really the show, even though as of late, you know, I’ve been in the forefront a lot more than I probably anticipated,” Jordan added.
Exhaustion from Public Expectations
The billionaire athlete described the toll of upholding others’ ideals. “The burden of living a certain way,” he told King. “Living up to trying to maintain whatever everybody’s perspectives is for you or was for you. That is a burden, you know? And it’s a lot of people that have to endure it.”
Asked if anything remains to prove, Jordan responded decisively: “Nothing. Nothing at all.”
Missing Basketball Deeply
Jordan held majority ownership of the Charlotte Hornets for nearly 13 years before transitioning to a minority, silent partner role with the team.
He admitted a strong longing for the sport. “Oh, a hundred percent,” he said when questioned about missing basketball. “It’s not just a teeny. It’s a huge piece.” Jordan also expressed eagerness to play again: “I would definitely love to do that.”
Family Ties to Racing
NASCAR fulfills Jordan’s competitive drive while connecting him to his late father, an avid mechanic. “My father actually, he was a diehard mechanic,” Jordan recalled. “He used to work on all the neighborhood cars. We would never send our car to the service. He would figure out a way to fix it.”
His parents enjoyed high-speed driving, but Jordan avoids it. “No,” he said. “I never drive fast.”
The complete interview airs on CBS this Sunday.
