Even an Olympic legend like Michael Phelps isn’t immune from scrutiny when it comes to the GOAT debate, at least not from Michael Jordan’s own family. After Phelps showed a moment’s hesitation on the ultimate question, Marcus Jordan delivered a swift and subtle reaction online.

When Michael Jordan was winning with the Chicago Bulls, a young boy in Baltimore, Maryland, took those lessons to heart. Soon, Michael Phelps would put those learnings to work and establish himself as one of the best Olympians of all time. Despite the success, the humble nature of the 23x Olympic gold medal winner was on display when he chose his GOAT.

On Tuesday night, Michael Phelps was honored with the Muhammad Ali Legacy Award at Sports Illustrated’s Sportsperson of the Year Awards. When it came to defending the legacy of MJ, Phelps left no stone unturned. In fact, Jordan’s son, Marcus Jordan, even liked the reel, in which LeBron James, Diana Taurasi, Tiger Woods, Serena Williams, and Tom Brady had no chance of winning the GOAT status.

Michael Phelps was asked to pick his GOAT, and his answer was always the 6x ṆBA champion until the very end. “For me, Michael Jordan was always the one I looked up to, and I wanted to do what he did in basketball and the sport of swimming. So, Jordan.”

In the end, there was even a question where Phelps had to choose between himself and His Airness. There came a slight hesitation, but no disrespect.

“I can’t say it. I always have a joke. He wore it, I earned it (talking about MJ’s 23 jersey number and Phelps winning 23 gold medals at the Olympics). But no disrespect to him, honestly. For me, he was my childhood idol. Again, watching him on and off the court, what he did, how he handled himself. Really, no matter what he went through when he was on the court, everything was left behind, and he was able to be who he was trying to be, the best version of himself. And there were no excuses. And for me, that’s kind of how I model my career.”

The swimming legend’s admiration for MJ is nothing new. When Jordan learned about this, his response was both humble and gracious. “I’m truly honored and humbled that he’s looked at me as a motivational figure,” MJ said.

The mutual respect between the two icons has grown over time, and what started as an awe-struck first meeting on a golf course in Chicago has become a regular occurrence for these gold-standard champions.

While the Olympic legend found common ground with the NBA icon, he still couldn’t express it when they met for the first time in Chicago in 2012. Phelps previously shared the story about being on a golf channel, and suddenly, Michael Jordan walked through the door. For years, there was a list of prepared questions, but when the time came, words completely escaped him.

Instead, Phelps found himself dumbfounded, reenacting the moment by miming his jaw-dropping. “I couldn’t say anything, literally couldn’t say a word.” Michael Phelps was put on the spot with the ultimate GOAT question, and his answer—or lack thereof—drew an immediate response from Marcus Jordan.

That’s why he was quick to like the message. But the son of the Bulls legend knows which stories about his father are genuine and which aren’t. The 35-year-old is ensuring that his father’s legacy doesn’t take a hit in the world of social media.

Michael Jordan’s son comes to his rescue

The past year was marked by numerous controversies surrounding Marcus Jordan. Be it arrests or constant girlfriend rumors. The CEO of the Trophy Room has turned a new page and celebrated his sobriety in October. “6 Months Sober.” He credited his family for the support during those tough times, and so when his father’s legacy was questioned, he had a quick reaction.

Celtics legend Paul Pierce remains in the spotlight over his hot takes. Recently, even MJ made it to the list. “One or two dribble pull-ups, bro. Mike had a limited bag.” Yes, The Truth conveyed that His Airness had limited tricks up his sleeves.

Marcus Jordan replied by re-sharing a reel on his story that showcased Michael Jordan’s wide range of moves and featured Kevin Garnett defending MJ against Paul Pierce’s comments.

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Marcus Jordan shared his honest verdict “😂🐐💯.” So, whether to celebrate or to shut down any false claims, Michael Jordan’s son will always be in his corner.