Without a doubt, it can be said that Jordan is the face of basketball. His fanbase, career, championships, and legacy far exceed the levels any player has ever touched. MJ has millions of fans across the globe, and it is understandable that it can get stressful. In an interview with Playboy, Jordan got candid about the dark side of his fame.

Celebrity status is attractive to most but Michael Jordan. Jordan has lived a private life since he retired and rarely came into the public eye. One can catch him at a Charlotte Hornets game rooting for his team, but nothing more. Jordan has infamously refused to deal with fans and paparazzi. Most recently, he denied a few youngsters looking for LaMelo Ball an autograph in the Hornets facility.

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According to the Playboy interview covered by Ballislife, Michael Jordan responded to a question regarding not going to the White House and his public image. Jordan reveals that it is difficult and tiring to hold the public image of being ‘Michael Jordan.’ He spoke about how exhaustive it is to give autographs to hundreds of fans and the lack of privacy. According to Michael Jordan, when at 3:00 AM, fifteen fans would gather around him, his celebrity status would feel tiring. 

Michael Jordan gets candid with Playboy.

Jordan once refused his fans an autograph at 3:00 AM. He said his knees were sore, and his back was sore, possibly from playing an NBA game against the Denver Nuggets. The fans did not understand his plight and disrespected him. The interviewer later asked Jordan what happens when he denies a fan an autograph.

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Jordan replied,” Somebody will take a shot, saying, ‘Oh, look at him.’ On one road trip, we got into Denver at three in the morning, and there were people sitting in the hotel lobby. I was tired. I said, ‘I’m sorry, please, I’m tired.’

He was sitting in his hotel lobby in Denver at 3:00 AM, and some fans around him asked him for autographs. When he denied it, they disrespected him with foul words. The Jordan we know would have retaliated, but back then, he was still a part of the league, and several disciplinary guidelines applied to him.

A LaMelo Ball fan asking for an autograph is refused by Jordan

A few young fans were looking for Hornets star LaMelo in the Hornets arena but found Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan instead.

The fans exclaimed, “Yo! It’s Michael Jordan! Can we get a picture?”

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Michael Jordan said no and proceeded to ignore the fans. It may look cold and brutal, but MJ’s dialogue with Playboy helps us understand where Jordan is coming from.