It’s impossible now to imagine a world without social media. From the whereabouts of celebrities to heated sports debates, everything is just a click away. Social media has allowed many to grow their brands and connect more closely with their fans. While it has a good side, it has also stirred controversy and taken a toll on many celebrities including the players. Athletes have experienced both the praise and the pressure that come with the spotlight of social media. It might make you wonder, how would players from the 1990s, like Michael Jordan, have handled it? ESPN reporter has an opinion

Even today, years after his retirement, Jordan remains a hot topic on social media. One of the most talked-about subjects is the GOAT (Greatest of All Time) debate, often centered around Jordan and LeBron James. Lesser-known stories from Jordan’s career, like the time he punched teammate Steve Kerr during practice, or when he famously played through illness in what became known as the “Flu Game” still make rounds on social media.

These incidents would have exploded on social media if they had happened today. An ESPN reporter who has covered both past and present generations of players once commented on the shift in relationships between athletes and the media. During a conversation with Brandon Contes, Mike Greenberg said, “LeBron to me is the first immortal of the social media era. Michael would not have handled it well. That’s I think that’s a statement of fact Michael would not have dealt with the nonsense well that it would have eaten him alive because he focused.”

On the other hand, LeBron James handles it like a pro. Although, the Los Angeles Lakers veteran too stays away from the social media during the important games. Some moments might have been celebrated, while others could have drawn heavy criticism, much like what we see with James today. Greengberg also claimed that in the past, the relationship between the players and analysts or fans was much different. 

Now, even the smallest gesture by a player is scrutinized online. A single misstep can spark a debate or trigger a roast session on Twitter. Take the case of Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark, their rivalry has been heavily amplified through social media commentary. Well, but more intriguingly, how would MJ have made decisions, or responded, if social media had existed during his era?

What does Michael Jordan think about social media? 

As the Chicago Bulls legend took trips around the world, he had a massive crowd of fans following him. He would often end up stuck in hotels to avoid creating chaos. However, as we know, one thing that never troubled Jordan is social media. He is still one of the few celebrities who isn’t on any social media platforms. 

Jordan’s opinion isn’t much different from the ESPN reporter’s answer. During his interview with Cigar Aficionado, Jordan mentioned that he believes that players don’t have privacy due to social media. 

“I don’t know if I could’ve survived in this Twitter [era], in this Twitter time. Where you don’t have the privacy that you would want and what seems to be very innocent could be always misinterpreted,” Michael Jordan said. These issues on social media often sneak into the locker room too disrupting the players’ chemistry ahead of the games.

He further expressed his concern about how even the slightest incident can be blown out of proportion when misinterpreted on social media. Jordan explained that he has a very different “perspective” from the kids nowadays. It’s unlikely that Jordan would ever try any social media platforms however one cannot be sure!