Michael Jordan’s fame and popularity were so immense during the 1990s that people would often be awestruck by his presence. We have heard a myriad of stories and this time, it’s about how he stopped a club dead in its track.
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MJ was so big in the 90s that onlookers would often faint at the mere sight of him. His actions, both on and off the court solidified his legacy as an icon of the 20th century.
So, when he partied, of course, even clubgoers would be in awe of Jordan. And in one instance, John Salley bore witness to it. And the tale is every bit as awesome as you can imagine.
How MJ stopped a club dead on its tracks
John Salley, a four-time NBA champion, talked to Shannon Sharpe on his podcast, Club Shay Shay, about the myth of Michael Jordan.
Once he was out with His Airness and the club owner did not believe them. So much so that, he even turned on the lights of the club! As Salley recalls,
“The owner of the club came up and said: ‘What MJ’s in my club?!’ He stopped the music and cut the lights on so everyone could see that Michael was there … He changes the way people move.”
The sheer magnitude of MJ, the gravitas alone was enough to make sure everyone knew he was at the club. Talk about being legendary.
Michael Jordan’s fame and power in the 90s
Stories like this are not one-off instances. We have heard hundreds of these over time. Charles Barkley once said that only MJ and Tiger Woods had the power to make people swoon and faint, they went crazy over him.
Stories like the club turning on its lights are just part and parcel of what it meant to be Michael Jordan. We are sure he was met with more cheers than jeers.
Nowadays, he remains away from the public eye. And he is now a billionaire, the first-ever athlete to turn one. While the legend may have diminished, his mythos remains larger than ever. There can only be one Michael Jordan.
