“Michael Jordan is more than just an internet meme”: Former US President, Barack Obama, snuck in a few jokes at the Bulls legend’s Presidential Medal of Freedom ceremony

Michael Jordan had the Presidential Medal of Freedom bestowed upon him by Barack Obama but not without the latter getting a joke or two in. 

Michael Jordan has accomplished more on NBA hardwood than anybody could’ve ever dreamt of. He won 6 NBA titles and had 6 Finals MVPs to go along with those, 5 regular season MVPs, 10 scoring titles, a DPOY, 9 All-Defensive team selections, and countless All-Star and All-NBA nods. 

When someone says, ‘You’re the Michael Jordan of’ something, it’s understood that that person is at the uppermost echelon of their craft. Jordan became synonymous with winning and it’s quite obvious as to why.

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So, it’s no surprise that the Chicago Bulls legend received the highest civilian honor after his retirement from the game of basketball. What makes it even more special is that fellow Chicago native, 44th President of the USA Barack Obama, was the one who gave such an honor to Mike. 

Michael Jordan receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom. 

2016 saw two NBA legends, Michael Jordan and Kareem Abdul Jabbar, be honored at the White House by the then-President of the United States with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In attendance were the likes of Bill Gates, Tom Hanks, and Robert Redford. 

During President Obama’s speech about Mike, he snuck in a hilarious dig at the fact that the former UNC alum had become a meme on the internet due to him crying at his own Hall-of-Fame ceremony in 2009.

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Michael Jordan isn’t the only NBA player to have received such an honor as stated before, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has also received this medal. Bob Cousy and Jerry West were given the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Donald Trump in 2019 while legendary UNC head coach, Dean Smith was honored in 2013.