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“Intimidating” Billionaire Michael Jordan Forced Oscar Winner Ben Affleck to Fulfill Two Conditions to Get His Blessings: “First Time I Saw This Look Cross His Face”

Published 03/19/2023, 1:53 AM EDT

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Chicago Bulls icon Michael Jordan has only been featured in a few movies over the years, with Space Jam being one of the most iconic ones out of the lot. His Netflix docuseries ‘The Last Dance’ which came out in 2020, was a huge hit among fans and even current NBA players and legends. While some legends were not happy with how they were portrayed, it was a huge hit, nonetheless. Now, a movie about Jordan’s journey with Nike is about to hit the big screen. Although MJ and his close ones won’t be appearing in the movie, he wanted to make sure the correct people were cast to portray his journey in the best way possible.

The movie ‘Air’ which is produced by Skydance Sports and directed by actor Ben Affleck is set for release on April 5. The excitement is palpable among fans and they can’t wait to see this latest portrayal of ‘His Airness’ on the big screen. However, Affleck had to fulfill a couple of conditions from MJ in order to get his blessings for the movie.

What conditions did Jordan have for Ben Affleck?

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The movie will be focusing on Nike’s pursuit to sign Michael Jordan to their brand. It turned out to be a monumental moment in Nike’s history and probably their greatest signing ever. Apart from directing, Ben Affleck will also play the role of Phil Knight, the co-founder, and chairman of Nike.

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However, before Affleck decided to take on the project, he wanted to run it past ‘His Airness’ himself. Although, that came with a couple of requests from Jordan. The first request that Jordan made was that Howard White had to be in the movie.

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Howard White played a huge role in bringing Jordan to sign with the Nike brand. And MJ made sure that he got the recognition he deserved.  Jordan even credited White for helping him beyond the game of basketball. And also cited him as his mentor for his success in basketball.

Affleck told Variety Magazine, “Michael Jordan, for those of you who don’t know, is one of the most intimidating, impressive men you’ll ever see in your life.” Affleck went on to add how Jordan’s expression changed when he talked about his father and moreover, his mother. “He told me about is father. And then he talked about his mother. It was the first time I saw this look cross his face. It was a look of reverence, of awe, of love, and gratitude, and innocence,” Affleck revealed.

Watch This Story – How much does Michael Jordan earn from the Hornets’ ownership?

Praising his mother, MJ said, “None of this would have ever happened without my mother.” To this, Affleck asked who he’d like to see play his mother’s role. And that’s when Jordan’s second demand came in, stating that it had to be none other than Viola Davis.

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Michael Jordan parting ways with the Charlotte Hornets

Recently, reports emerged that Michael Jordan will be selling the majority shares of his NBA franchise, the Charlotte Hornets. Jordan took over as the majority shareholder of the team in 2010. The team has had only three winning seasons under his reign. While many will consider it to be a failure for MJ, he oversaw a monumental rise in the team’s value.

“His Airness’ bought a majority stake in the franchise for $175 million back in 2010. Now, the Hornets are worth around $1.7 billion. MJ is set to gain a huge profit once he sells the team. Maybe it’s for the best, given how the Hornets have struggled over the years.

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Let us know whether you’re excited to see the movie ‘Air’ in the comments section below.

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Written by:

Abhishek Dhariwal

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Abhishek Dhariwal is an NBA writer for EssentiallySports. He earned his bachelor's degree in English Honors from St. Xavier's College and his master's degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from AAFT School of Mass Communication and Journalism.
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Edited by:

Pragya Vashisth