The lifestyle of an NBA player isn’t all glitz-and-glamor. Stars of the league are no longer able to perform normal errands without fans asking for autographs and their attention. Bulls legend Michael Jordan was the biggest celebrity in Chicago during his career. His status around the city made it nearly impossible for him to complete everyday responsibilities. Therefore, he made a deal with a local grocery store to ensure he could shop in peace without fans hounding him.
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Jordan shopped at the grocery store chain Jewel-Osco. However, he would call 15 minutes before the store closed to inform them he was coming. In return, the store would extend their hours of operation specifically for the Bulls star. Jordan’s former teammate Brad Sellers highlighted the details of the story. He said,
“He told me he would call Jewel-Osco [a grocery chain] about 15 minutes before they closed, and let them know he was coming in. They would stay open later to let him shop. He wasn’t making no $30 million a year; I’m sure at that time he was making less than a million. But it was a lot of money at the time and he made sure that he took care of people.”
To nobody’s surprise, Jordan was too famous to shop normally in a store. The reaction of the crowd would be similar to if Taylor Swift decided to leisurely shop at Walmart. Thankfully, Jordan’s plan worked and he didn’t have to experience any crazed fans interrupting his shopping experience.
The six-time champion understood the sacrifice the workers were making by accommodating his requests. According to Sellers, Jordan ensured that the workers were compensated financially.
Michael Jordan made sure the workers were paid deservingly
Many of the workers who were in the store to accommodate Jordan had already worked full shifts. Instead of being able to go home to enjoy the rest of their night, whenever MJ needed to shop they had to stay longer than intended. Jordan refused to let their work go in vain.
Jordan took care of the workers by giving them tips for generously working beyond their time. NBA contracts during that time weren’t as lucrative as they are in today’s NBA. Jordan’s total career earnings eclipse just over $93 million over 15 years. For context, in 2019, Tobias Harris agreed to a five-year $180 million contract with the Sixers. Regardless, Jordan prioritized people for helping him.
His gestures towards those workers were only a glimpse of the appreciation he would show others. Jordan made sure that he took care of those that were close to him.
