Michael Jordan faced a fair share of controversies during his glittering NBA career. The former Chicago Bulls guard is widely regarded as the greatest basketball player of all time. While his impact on the game is unquestionable, Jordan got involved in a few uncomfortable situations.

James Bouler, former jailed gambler and a friend of MJ’s, revealed in an interview that Jordan’s bold move to skip the traditional dinner for champions at the White House was a ‘political slap’ to the face of North Carolina Senator, Jesse Helms. Helms, who was an extremely controversial figure, was at odds with MJ and his friends.

After MJ won his first championship with the Chicago Bulls in 1991, the whole team was invited to the White House, as was customary. It is considered to be a huge honor and players don’t usually miss this chance to meet the President. While the whole team was present at the White House, Jordan was busy playing golf and gambling with his friends.

The situation seems worse when considering the fact that Jordan had used his family as an excuse. To skip going to the White House, MJ said that he had planned a vacation with his family. It was considered a very disrespectful thing to do, and it didn’t please either President Bush or Senator Helms.

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Bouler also revealed what Helms had said after becoming the Senator of Monroe. He said, “They won’t have no party in the hood tonight.” Bouler was a part of a massive case and all this came up during his trial. He said the whole trial was politically and racially motivated.

Michael Jordan was a notorious gambler

Michael Jordan was addicted to gambling. According to former teammates and people who know Jordan, he would bet on anything. His desire to win didn’t stop at the court of basketball. He used to gamble the most while playing golf.

The NBA even had to investigate Jordan’s gambling habits. Many conspiracy theorists believe Jordan didn’t retire from the NBA in 1993, rather he was suspended by the league due to his gambling addiction. Jordan had won 3 consecutive championships with the Bulls, after which he decided to retire prematurely.

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He eventually made a comeback two years later and went on to win 3 more championships to cement his legacy as an All-Time great. What do you think about Bouler’s story? Let us know in the comments.