In the 1990s, there was no one more famous than Michael Jordan. Actors, singers, authors, and other athletes aside, no one could touch MJ’s stardom.
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It is no surprise, considering just how much he achieved at the time. With six championships, an iconic shoe deal, and revolutionizing the sport of basketball, Jordan was and is a celebrity with a lot of star power.
In fact, there have been times when said power has come into play. Just ask James Jordan, who had to use his son’s name to get out of legal trouble.
James Jordan once had to use Michael Jordan to get out of serving jail time for embezzlement
Michael Jordan has a pretty interesting family, some of whom are featured in the news more often than not these days. But, back in the day, it was MJ’s dad who frequently made the papers.
For example, there was a time when the late James Jordan got caught up in a huge embezzlement case, which nearly saw him being sent to jail over $7000. Roland Lazenby, author of Michael Jordan: The Life, detailed this in his book. Luckily for him, his son’s name was enough to prevent that from happening.
“He shoulda went to prison for what he got involved in,” Dick Neher said in 2012. “Because of Mike, he got out of it.”
Father’s Day 1996
Michael Jordan wins his first championship as a bull since the death of his father. #Sports #MJ pic.twitter.com/irkFzPKhgP— ClassicSportsMoments (@SportsMomentsCl) February 15, 2015
Safe to say that James was a lucky man. His son’s stardom saved him from what could have been a pretty bad time in prison.
James Jordan was tragically taken away from MJ and his family in a robbery gone wrong
MJ and his father were always close. After all, it was his relationship with James Jordan that fuelled His Airness’ desire to be great. Unfortunately, their relationship was cut short after James was tragically murdered in a robbery gone wrong.
The James Jordan murder – @danwiederer‘s piece @chicagotribune 25 years after Michael Jordan’s father was killed: https://t.co/OwUhTqnnWE pic.twitter.com/HO5OQtFjo5
— Noah Coslov (@NoahCoslov) July 20, 2018
It truly was tragic for both Jordan, his family, and all those close to them. An event that greatly affected MJ’s life.