When Michael Jordan’s ‘Global Popularity’ in 1991 Sent Author of ‘Jordan Rules’ into Hiding: “Wife Was a Wreck”

By the time Michael Jordan won his first championship, he had already become a global icon, captivating basketball fans worldwide. However, not everyone was impressed by His Airness. In fact, the book The Jordan Rules by Sam Smith provided a scathing peek into MJ’s life, greatly angering his fans. And, as revealed in the book forced the author to go into hiding.

Fans idolized Jordan as an untarnished champion, capable of doing no wrong. So, when Sam Smith dared to question that perception in his book, the repercussions were unsettling. Smith feared for his safety and thus took drastic measures in order to avoid being caught by the frenzied Jordan fans.

The author of The Jordan Rules feared for his life after angering Michael Jordan and his fans

Until 1991, Michael Jordan maintained a squeaky-clean image that endeared him to fans. His endorsements with Nike and Gatorade transformed him into a walking corporate conglomerate, further solidifying his iconic status.

However, Sam Smith’s book, “Jordan Rules,” attempted to dismantle that pristine image. And, this sparked discontent among MJ’s devoted fans who weren’t ready to accept any tarnish on their idol’s reputation.

Obviously, this sent Smith into a panic, as he began fearing for his safety. In order to avoid His Airness’ rabid fans, the author went into hiding. It reached a state where even his close friends in the business started calling him “Salman Rushdie”(a reference to the British author who once had a warrant issued for his death by the supreme leader of Iran.).

“I stopped answering the phone, and the newspaper told me to stay away for a week until things cooled down. A wire service put out a story of “author missing.” My friend from the Daily Herald, Mike Imrem, began calling me Salman Rushdie after the British novelist who went into hiding after the Ayatollah Khomeini issued a warrant for his death. He survived, and Imrem still calls me Salman. My wife was a wreck. My son was two at the time and I decided to spend time with him roaming a mall. I’d overhear people saying they’d get that Sam Smith if they ever saw him.”

It’s clear to see the fans were not happy with Smith. And, the same goes for MJ, who was equally unhappy with the author. But, he never confronted him, not once, and even fortuitously allowed him to speak on The Last Dance documentary.

Jordan never once confronted Sam Smith about The Jordan Rules book

Despite everything Sam Smith wrote about in his book The Jordan Rules, Michael Jordan never confronted him. It was bothersome and did annoy him, given all the controversy it came with. But, MJ hasn’t spoken a word about the book in 32 years. He even invited Smith to appear in The Last Dance documentary.

His Airness clearly has reached a stage in his life where things like this do not bother him. Even though, he did have a tendency to take things “personally” in the past.