For all his skills and brilliance, Michael Jordan had a kryptonite. He was a serial gambler. Every sport, every possible situation with multiple outcomes, was an opportunity for MJ to bet. He spent thousands of dollars on poker, easily bet a few million on golf, and gambled away even more in casinos.
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Only one man in the entire world was fortunate enough to witness potentially every big Michael Jordan bet. Richard Esquinas was MJ’s friend and golf partner. They frequently gambled on their games. Michael’s obsession and Esquinas’ gold skills led to a $1.2 million debt on the Bulls legend.
Later on, Esquinas betrayed Jordan and revealed it all in his book “Michael & Me: Our Gambling Addiction– My Cry for Help!” His book wasn’t received too well by one Hollywood star known for his daredevil-like stunts.
Tom Cruise shamed Esquinas for snitching on Michael Jordan
When Esquinas published his book, he found an especially angry critic in Tom Cruise. To show his disapprovement, the Mission Impossible superstar wrote a letter to Richard for snitching on his ‘friend.’
Cruise lashed out at the golfing gambling for ruining a beloved personality. He claimed Michael was loved by the entire community and Esquinas was attempting to ruin him as the symbol of hope and excellence. Tom Cruise also questioned his friendship and called him out for betraying the Bulls superstar.
In his letter, Cruise wrote: “As a person whose professional status places him in the public eye, I do not see any legitimate purpose in publishing a book whose sole apparent purpose is to demean and diminish a hero to both adults and children alike. There is cruel irony in your claim that you are one of Michael Jordan’s “friends.” … Even assuming, for purposes of argument, that your allegations are correct, what bona fide interest could be served by disclosing them to the public? Isn’t Michael Jordan entitled to some degree of confidentiality by his so called “friends”? I, for one, hope that I never have a friend or confidant who betrays my trust the way you have betrayed that of Michael Jordan. Perhaps, if we are lucky, your book will end up in the deeply discounted remainder bins along with the other “one minute flashes” that the public has decided not to purchase.“
Juanita wrote $50,000 checks to Esquinas
In his book Michael Jordan: The Life, Roland Lazenby revealed Esquinas’ allegations against Jordan. The golfing gambler alleged that at first Michael refused to pay off his $1.2 million debt. Upon Richard’s aggressive hounding, Jordan finally relented and began paying off parts of his debt.
In his book, Lazenby also wrote how Juanita Vanoy wrote several $50,000 checks to pay off MJ’s debt. However, Esquinas still maintains that Jordan never paid off his entire debt.
