Until yesterday, only Donald Trump was among Team USA’s supporters. Now, the GOAT of basketball, Michael Jordan, has joined in — but he’s not just watching from the sidelines. According to Keegan Bradley, MJ plays a vital behind-the-scenes role, motivating and advising the team when it matters most.

Expanding on Jordan’s role with Team USA, captain Bradley shared, “He’s there for me if I need advice on golf, life, Ryder Cup—he’s always there. He’s one of the best friends I can ever have, so I’ll use his knowledge for everything, but he goes to the Ryder Cup to watch it.” The friendship and mentorship shared by Jordan have been discussed on multiple occasions in the past.

Michael Jordan and Keegan Bradley’s friendship was born on the golf course and built on a mix of respect, mentorship, and plenty of good-natured trash talk. The two first connected at the 2012 Ryder Cup when U.S. captain Davis Love III invited Jordan to inspire the team.

Over the years, their bond has grown beyond golf, with Bradley calling MJ a constant source of guidance and support. Known for their competitive matches at the Bears Club in Florida, Bradley jokingly calls Jordan his “human ATM” because of the many rounds he’s won.

While Jordan may not hold an official role with Team USA, Bradley leans on him for advice, motivation, and perspective—making their relationship a powerful force behind the scenes. This relationship has paid dividends over the years.

In 2014, Jordan pushed and challenged Bradley to change his putter. During a practice match at Bear’s, Jordan assisted him as he transitioned from a belly putter to a conventional short putter. The switch proved to be a game-changer, as Bradley shot a five-under 67 for the round using the short putter for the very first time.

Jordan has also been a loyal supporter of the Ryder Cup, attending every edition except in 2023. Now, with the event at Bethpage Black, Bradley has revealed that MJ will play a key role in strategizing and supporting the team behind the scenes. However, Bradley made it clear that despite Jordan’s influence and presence, he won’t have an official title or position—his impact will come from his experience, competitive spirit, and trusted advice.

On Tuesday, while talking to the media, he said, “He’s not going to be a vice captain.” Although he is not the official one, he has inside access and will be closely watching the team.

In fact, Bradley has shared, “He’s passionate, he’ll be pissed if we lose.” Well, the pressure is on the USA, as, despite the GOAT in support, the European side achieved impressive numbers, winning three out of the four matches in the first half on Friday. Surprisingly, the win has a mind like Jordan’s, as Donald also picked his brain for the Ryder Cup.

Luke Donald on picking Michael Jordan’s brain

Jordan and Donald have been friends since the 90s. And that friendship has helped Donald now as he picked the brain of his friend to gather insights about leadership.

The European team captain shared, “Michael is someone I’ve been very fortunate to get access to and pick his brain occasionally about what made him tick, what motivated him, how he was able to get the best out of himself.” Donald and Jordan’s friendship grew as they played together in Florida at the Bear’s Club. In fact, that friendship has resulted in fruitful advice, which is helping the captain in dominating the American side.

Even further, he shared, “I think that’s something that I certainly took from him, and I’ve tried to instill in my teams the last two times, that we’re always stronger together. Those are strong values that we try to live up to.” No doubt, if there is anything that was praised before the Ryder Cup teed off, it was the camaraderie on the European side. Notably, Patrick Reed also commended the team for it during the BMW PGA Championship.

Now with both captains having Michael Jordan’s advice, who do you think will make the most of it? Let us know your picks in the comments below.