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“Life on a Pedestal Can Be Lonely”: Despite Choosing a Private Life, Michael Jordan Admitted Suffering Due to the “Beauty of America” in 1998

Published 07/15/2023, 2:10 PM EDT

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Michael Jordan will forever be remembered by the basketball fans for the rest of eternity for his shenanigans on the basketball court. His basketball career has also made him one of the most well-known personalities throughout the world. But being as famous as Jordan might not be as easy as one might think. Even after retiring from the NBA, MJ remains a trending name in the basketball world for various reasons. In his 1998 interview he elaborated on one of the perils of being famous.

The Jordan brand is often in the news for making big money moves. MJ’s the only athlete in the world to have such a massively successful brand built around him. The Jordan brand has certainly contributed to his worldwide fame. But as it turns out being a widely recognized face can be a bane sometimes.

Michael Jordan opens up about his suffering

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The interview the Chicago Bulls legend gave to Vanity Fair in 1998 was quite an eye opening one. He gave us a glimpse of life through his eyes and told us what’s it like to be arguably the biggest sporting personality in the world. MJ opened up about a time when he was suffering due to his massive fame.

The six-time champion said, “But life on a pedestal can be lonely even with a supportive family. We were winning, I was playing well, and everyone was safe. But I started to feel the attention take on a different tone—that is, they started going after me personally. I had known that time would come. It always does. In a way, that’s the beauty of America.”

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MJ was well aware of the fact that there will be a few who’ll try to take him down. Even with a supportive family one can feel isolated when you’re put on a pedestal, Jordan claimed.

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The five-time MVP, who’s known for living a private life, made it clear that although his basketball success brought a massive amount of wealth and recognition, it also has its own set of cons and blamed his problem on the American culture.

Jordan also credits his two brothers for his success. He made it clear that it was Larry and James Jordan who helped him develop his competitive spirit. He said, “This dude fought me every single day.” It was rather interesting to see MJ giving some massive props to his siblings. One might wonder if MJ would be the same if it was not for his brothers.

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WATCH THIS STORY: Blaming Michael Jordan’s intoxicated state Marcus Jordan unveils trauma inducing event

What are your thoughts on the lonely-at-the-top narrative of Michael Jordan’s persona? Tell us in the comments below!

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Written by:

Aaditya Negi

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Aaditya is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports and has been following the game for a number of years. He is an avid fan of the NBA and follows what’s happening in the league on a daily basis. Having worked as an intern in the sports domain, his passion for writing arose from his fondness for the intricacies of the game.
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Edited by:

Aayush Kapoor