Many NBA athletes relish rolling out real-time reactions on social media eventually building a intimate bond with their followers. Naturally, fans would expect 6x Finals MVP, Michael Jordan, to be a part of these virtual platforms for fans to interact with arguably the most popular basketball player. But, is Michael Jordan available on any social media?
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The answer is No. Jordan hasn’t personally joined social media platforms such as Instagram and has shied away from being a part of the virtual public space. Even then, the Bulls legend continues to dominate the internet space as his Jordan brand’s official Jumpman page has garnered 27.8 million followers on Instagram.
Apart from that, one can catch glimpses of his personal life through his family. His children Marcus, Jeffrey, and Jasmine Jordan, along with his ex-wife, Juanita Vanoy, have shared pictures with the GOAT, but many of these photos usually come from yesteryears.
These glimpses don’t suffice because, in this day and age, fans are used to an in-depth look at the lives of superstars. Would things have been different if Jordan was hooping in an age engulfed by social media fever? His son Marcus Jordan doesn’t think so.
During an appearance on ‘The Breakfast Club’, the 33-year-old stated that MJ isn’t built for something like social media since it would have acted as a distraction for someone who wanted to be at the zenith of his profession at any cast.
“People always talk about if he was to grow up in social media age, what would it look like? Honestly, he probably wouldn’t even enjoy social media because he was so laser-focused on his craft, trying to be the best,” Marcus claimed.
This is in line with MJ’s personality which has always been a matter of intrigue. Air Jordan has always loved to keep things low-key and even the most ambitious attempts from paparazzi fall short against him.
Michael Jordan is following the Julius Erving model
Michael Jordan’s reluctance towards being in the public eye has been palpable even during his playing days. In a 1992 interview with ‘Playboy’, the premier athlete disclosed that he wished to remain away from the limelight akin to iconic hooper Julius Erving. He cited Erving’s example, who kept a low profile after retiring in 1987,
“Julius Erving is doing exactly what I want to do. Do you ever see or hear from Julius? But I know Julius is doing something he wants to do, and he’s kind of taken a step back from public life. That’s exactly what I want to do. When his time was up and he walked away from the game, he walked away proud, respected. Exactly what I want to do.”
Jordan’s tendency to keep to himself is one of the reasons why his docuseries The Last Dance was an instant hit. It was a rare chance for many fans to hear from the dominant athlete who has become increasingly unapproachable after his retirement. Do you think MJ will join the social media ever?
