Michael Jordan once revealed that he would smoke a cigar before every single home game by the time 1993 rolled around
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There was a time in Chicago Bulls history when they would sell less 800 tickets for a game. And then Michael Jordan showed up in 1984. While MJ soon became a staple in attracting crowds to the Bulls arena, the rest of his teammates weren’t. They were even called a ‘traveling cocaine circus’ by fans and media at the time.
In the ‘Last Dance’ docuseries, Jordan admitted that he was quite the loner on the squad when he first got there as he didn’t indulge in any of the substances his teammates did. However, as time went on and he became the elder statesman on the team and would eventually start to drink and smoke.
So much so that now the 6x NBA champ has his own brand of tequila with the owners of the Lakers, Bucks, and Celtics
While his love for alcohol is higher than most, his affinity towards Cigars is even greater.
Michael Jordan, according to him, smoked an entire cigar before every single home game by 1993.
Michael Jordan sat down with Cigar Aficionado in 2005 and chopped it up over his love for cigars. Here, he would admit to just how much he smoked and how it became a habit for him.
“So I started smoking a cigar going to games. In 1993. It became a ritual for every home game,” explained the 5x MVP.
What’s incredible is that Jordan wouldn’t let a single bit of his smoking habits affect his game on NBA hardwood. The second he put on that home jersey, he was good for 30 points a night on the minimum (averaged 32.6 points a game in 78 games on 49.5% shooting from the field in 1992-93).
Some of the most iconic pictures of Michael Jordan come with him having a cigar in his mouth. He’s even said that the first time he ever smoked a cigar was when the Bulls won a championship in 1991. Jerry Reinsdorf is to be credited for introducing him to the world of cigars.
What is MJ’s favorite cigar?
During the time of that 2005 interview, Jordan stated that his favorite cigar to smoke was Partagas Lusitanias. “I love those. And I’m in love with all Cubans. I’ve been a big Cuban smoker,” said MJ.
Some of the cigars he indulges in cost over $500 a box. However, with Michael Jordan being worth around the $2 billion ballpark, it’s safe to say that he doesn’t need to worry about that all too often.
Also read: WATCH: The Only Time Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen Played an NBA Game Against Each Other
