“I Have a $20 Bill Here, and I Love You”: Fans Tried to Bribe Michael Jordan for His Attention and Autograph, and He Used It for a Good Cause in 1989

Published 11/16/2022, 4:30 PM EST

There are few celebrities who have had the entire world talking about them. One such celebrity is Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan. During his time in the league, he was one of the biggest celebrities, let alone athletes in the world. And Michael Jordan once devised an ingenious way to capitalize it.

Wherever Jordan went, immense crowds followed suit. Naturally, fans would demand Jordan to give them his autograph whenever they got the chance to see him. Sometimes fans would even wave money at him in order to grab his attention! Interestingly enough, Jordan collected all the money he got from the autographs. However, he didn’t use it on himself.

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Michael Jordan made huge donations using money collected from fans

Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan was a star even before making it into the NBA. During his time in the league, he received huge endorsement deals alongside the salary he received for playing.

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Needless to say, he didn’t really need the money he got from fans. Collecting one-dollar bills and signing autographs, he would stuff the money into an envelope for St Jude’s, a hospital dedicated to treating kids with cancer.

According to a Sports Illustrated report from 1989, a teenage girl once tried to grab MJ’s attention by saying, “I have a twenty-dollar bill here, and I love you.” She also added, “And I understand basketball.”

Interestingly enough, Jordan achieved such levels of fame in 1989 when he was yet to win an NBA title. In fact, this was just after five years of his debut in the NBA.

Jordan has a number of philanthropic ventures under his belt

Four-time NBA champion Michael Jordan has made numerous donations both personally and as the chairman of the Charlotte Hornets.

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He is the Chief Wish Ambassador of the Make-A-Wish foundation since 2008 and has donated and brought in upwards of $5 million for the organization. Moreover, he also donated his entire 2000-01 season salary in order to support 9/11-related charities.

Since taking over the reins at the Hornets, Jordan and the team have given away more than $3 million for causes related to education, hunger, wellness, and the military. (Source: NBA)

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What is your favorite memory of Michael Jordan? Let us know in the comments down below.

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Written by:

Abhinava is an NBA writer for EssentiallySports. He is currently pursuing his Bachelor's in Journalism and Mass Communication. Abhinava has been following NBA for the past 6 years and is a huge fan of the Golden State Warriors and Stephen Curry.

Edited by:

Satagni Sikder

“I Have a $20 Bill Here, and I Love You”: Fans Tried to Bribe Michael Jordan for His Attention and Autograph, and He Used It for a Good Cause in 1989

Michael Jordan made huge donations using money collected from fans

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Jordan has a number of philanthropic ventures under his belt