“Cheap” Michael Jordan Once Withheld $20,000,000 Payday From Millionaire Agent

Published 02/16/2024, 2:11 PM EST

There aren’t many chinks in the armor of greatness. For Michael Jordan, that debate was non-existent. During his playing career, the only real knocks against him were backhanded compliments. “He’s too competitive,” or “He takes it too seriously”, and the consequences of that intensity were the only real shades on his resume. But, as the years passed, more cracks in the armor showed their face. Then, an ill-fated run as owner and GM of Charlotte Hornets brought a lot more problems to the forefront. Chief among them was his relative “cheapness.”

Once, though, his unwillingness for business would inadvertently cost a hefty payday for his former agent, David Falk. It was during that run with Charlotte that this particular story would come to pass. As Falk relates, the NBA legend had to make a minor appearance for a huge sum of money.

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For about 2-3 hours, to announce the deal and the like, the 6x NBA Champion would net $100,000,000. By default, given their 20% agreed-upon rate, that would mean a sweet $20 mil would go into David’s pocket.

But, the Chicago Bulls legend didn’t agree and the deal ultimately did not come to pass. However, Falk doesn’t harbor much ill will towards that decision. To him, that kind of aura is earned. “And God bless him. He’s been so successful, it gives him the opportunity to do whatever the hell he wants or not to do things he doesn’t want…I really admire that. He’s very, very selective in the things he wants to be involved in.”

With a net worth high up in the billions, is the ‘cheap’ stigma valid for Michael, though?

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Is calling Michael Jordan ‘cheap’ true?

Stories of Jordan and his alleged cheapness have been a continuous trend. Whether it was Charles Barkley or Wayne Gretzky, the stories haven’t stopped over the years. Both legends have directly called Mike ‘cheap’, even publicly.

For Barkley, the incident that sent him over the edge involved giving money to homeless people. Jordan’s philosophy of “If they can ask you for spare change, they can say welcome to McDonald’s. Can I help you please?” was a noble one. However, maybe that was taking it a bit too far.

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Similarly, the tipping incident with Gretzky was a shocker. Given his stingy tendencies, it is no wonder that the agent and player eventually decided to part ways.

“Cheap” and “Selfish” Michael Jordan Once Splashed $100,000,000 for a Noble Cause

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Written by:

Priyanshu is an NBA beat Writer at EssentiallySports, with a healthy command over the technical aspects of the sport. Priyanshu has creatively covered the often entertaining interactions between legends Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley along with in-depth analysis of the games. He was at the forefront of the 2023 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame ceremony, covering each and every aspect of the historic night in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Edited by:

Caroline Joseph

“Cheap” Michael Jordan Once Withheld $20,000,000 Payday From Millionaire Agent

Is calling Michael Jordan ‘cheap’ true?

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