“Michael Jordan dropped $350,000 on a bus and illegally drove it”: $2.1 billion worth legend bought a lavish bus while with the Birmingham Barons

Michael Jordan spent a whopping $350,000 on a bus while he was away from basketball and with the Birmingham Barons. 

In mere 9 seasons in the NBA, Michael Jordan established himself as an all-time great. With 6 straight seasons of Playoff disappointment, his Chicago Bulls finally crept past the Detroit Pistons and never looked back. They would win championships 3 years in a row from 1991-93, with that last year looking to be their most dominant form. 

Despite being atop North American sports as a whole during this run of his, Michael Jordan felt his love for the game of basketball dwindle. He would confide in Magic Johnson during their 1992 Barcelona Olympics stint together about how he feels drained when it came to the sport. 

What truly pushed MJ over the edge in terms of retiring from the NBA altogether was the untimely passing of his father, James Jordan. James always wanted his son to give baseball a try and in November of 1993, that’s exactly what the Bulls legend did.

Also read: Former criminal hustled Michael Jordan out of $57,000 and claims he doesn’t know anything about James Jordan’s murder

Michael Jordan spent an inordinate amount of money on a baseball team bus. 

Jerry Reinsdorf, owner of the Chicago Bulls, also happened to own the Chicago White Sox’s minor league team, the Birmingham Barons. He greenlit Jordan’s transition to baseball and even paid him his Bulls salary as he claims MJ was way underpaid while he was in the league. 

Michael Jordan would enjoy his 18-month hiatus from basketball, making new friends with his Barons teammates and overall enjoying a newer atmosphere. While with them, ‘His Airness’ would use the wealth he accumulated with the Bulls to purchase an incredible $350,000 bus for the Barons to travel in. 

The 45-foot-long coach would require a certain level of expertise to steer and well, Jordan didn’t see it that way. Barons broadcaster, Curt Bloom, would recall saying, “For a couple miles on an open highway, completely open highway, he actually jumped in the driver’s seat and was driving.” 

“We made the switch probably going 70mph and our bus driver got up and Michael sat there and turned it a few times and went straight. I certainly hope that doesn’t get anybody in trouble. Department of Transportation, we’re sorry, and the statute of limitations has passed.” 

When asked about why Michael Jordan did this, Bloom simply said, “Because he can and it made a funny story.” 

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