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“Tried to trick David Blaine by not shuffling”: When Michael Jordan showed off his competitive spirit while having ‘magic’ done for him

Samir Mehdi
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“Tried to trick David Blaine by not shuffling”: When Michael Jordan showed off his competitive spirit while having ‘magic’ done for him

Michael Jordan hilariously tried to trick David Blaine during a card trick by not shuffling the deck of cards he was given. 

Michael Jordan is undoubtedly one of the most competitive players to have stepped foot on NBA hardwood and quite frankly, in all of North American sports history. Last summer’s docuseries, ‘The Last Dance’ further proved this point to a whole new generation that may not have been around to bear witness to the greatness of Jordan and his Bulls. 

Stories like the time Michael Jordan lost a meaningless game of table tennis, resulting in him practicing for three weeks to best his friend at the game, are ones that showcase that the 6x champ wasn’t just competitive on the court.

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‘His Airness’s’ mentality rubbed off on players that he surrounded himself with along with others that came after him. Sure, his teammates never pushed themselves to the extent that Jordan did but were competitive enough to where he had enough around him to lock the entirety of the league down for a whole decade. 

Michael Jordan remains competitive well past his NBA playing days. 

It makes sense that after having been as competitive as he was for 25 years of his life, Michael Jordan wouldn’t lose that edge anytime soon. It’s been nearly 2 decades since the ‘GOAT’ last laced up for an NBA game and yet he’s still out and about, living his life with that same competitive spirit, albeit, with much lower stakes. 

A while back, Michael Jordan ran into David Blaine where he was vacationing and being the savvy magician that he is, Blaine pulled out a deck of cards for the Hall of Famer. He showed him his deck of cards and asked him to take the deck and shuffle it behind his back. Jordan however, refused to shuffle it and said, “I tried to trick you by not shuffling it.”

Also read: “You can’t put nothing past Kobe Bryant and what he can do”: Kevin Durant discusses Lakers superstar’s playing style and mentality with former Clippers player on Knuckleheads Podcast

Regardless of Jordan’s competitive tactics, the veteran magician accurately pointed out the card that the former had said moments earlier: the three of hearts. 

About the author

Samir Mehdi

Samir Mehdi

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Samir Mehdi is a senior strategist for the NBA division at The Sportsrush. Ever since he was 13 years old, he’s been obsessed with the game of basketball. From watching Kobe Bryant’s highlights on YouTube to now, analyzing and breaking down every single game on League Pass, Samir’s passion for the game is unwavering. He's a complete basketball junkie who not only breaks down current games but also keenly watches ones from the 60s’ and 70s’ while also reading comprehensive books on the history of the league. Samir’s life revolves around basketball and he hopes that shows in his work. Aside from work, he loves to spend time in the gym and with his friends at social gatherings.

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