There is no way to be a hyper-competitive monster of motivation, the type of person you need to be to make it in the NBA, and not have extreme and overwhelming reactions in the heat of the moment. Sometimes, things are taken way too far, like when Kermit Washington nearly killed Rudy Tomjanovich. But sometimes these reactions are ignored. They cease to matter, and the volatility is forgotten. While the fans may forget, people close to the players do not. That happened when Michael Jordan’s daughter, Jasmine, saw him punch Steve Kerr.
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As a kid, Jasmine would watch her father play. She was excited to see the man she knew as a loving and involved father at work and relished the opportunity to enjoy the atmosphere. But, when she got there, Jordan’s on-court personality scared her.
In a 2020 interview with the Charlotte Magazine, Jasmine recalled a time when the entire family was shocked to see MJ lose it on his teammates, in particular Steve Kerr. She said she went through momentary shock but eventually realized her father heavily compartmentalized his emotions.
“We already have a family group text, and it would explode on Sunday nights. I was like, ‘Dad, did you really have to punch Steve Kerr?’ My dad is so sweet, caring, and lovable, so to see that light switch come on was kind of scary,'” she described, laughing throughout. “Like, this is who you are on the court? There were moments where I said, ‘Dad, you could have eased up,’ or, ‘I’m gonna need more details on this.'”
Despite the negative nature of this experience, Jasmine continued to attend Bulls games as a child and as she got older as well. She was there for some of Jordan’s biggest on-court moments.
The 1998 Finals got loud, too loud for a five-year-old
Jasmine Jordan was not present for most of Jordan’s titles, as she was born in December of 1992, already two championships into MJ’s six. However, she did grow to love the games quickly and, when she was five, was able to see his sixth and final title in person.
Jasmine remembered how loud the old United Center got. While joking about the permanent ear damage it caused, she remembered how much fun it was to be in attendance.
There are special moments in sports where it feels like the whole universe is watching. It brings out the best in fans; it’s why we love the sport. No matter how far you are from the players, even if you’re the child of the GOAT, you love that experience. You live for it.
