The debate to find the Greatest Of All Time (GOAT) across sports never dies down, and now, tennis players have also had their say. At the 2023 Shanghai Masters, players were asked who their choice of GOAT is outside of tennis. American basketball legend Michael Jordan emerged as the leading choice, showing the USA’s strong influence on world sport.
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The NBA is one of the most followed sports leagues in the world, and many tennis players are also big basketball fans. Apart from Jordan, late NBA icon Kobe Bryant was also mentioned. Star athletes like Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Diego Maradona, and Tiger Woods were also named. All these elite names have a fair claim for the GOAT title.
Fans divided over Ben Shelton, Tommy Paul picking Michael Jordan
Basketball legend Michael Jordan was the most-picked athlete, being named by four different players. Stefanos Tsitsipas, Tommy Paul, Ben Shelton, and Hubert Hurkacz chose the six-time NBA champion. Messi was mentioned twice, by Daniil Medvedev (who also picked Ronaldo) and Argentine Diego Schwartzman.
Schwartzman latter also chose Maradona. Andrey Rublev named another basketball superstar, Bryant. Sebastian Korda, whose sisters Nelly and Jessica are professional golfers, went with Woods.
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Jordan emerged as the foremost choice divided opinion on social media. A section of fans did not agree with the choice and slammed Jordan’s selection. Many other fans claimed other athletes have a greater claim to the GOAT title than the American.
Interesting they mostly choose jordan when he doesn’t have the records… but when asked in tennis it’s only about records.
— Edmond Dantes (@BogdanRMCF) October 15, 2023
However, a bunch of fans also agreed with Jordan being called the GOAT. They insisted that he was the ‘right answer’ to this question.
Jordan of course.
— Silent_D (@Asian_Darkness) October 14, 2023
There hasn’t been a doubt about how Michael Jordan not just revolutionised basketball but world sport as well. His ‘Air Jordan’ deal with Nike was the first-of-its-kind in sports shoes which he signed way back in 1984. Back then, his deal was worth $2.5 million for 5 years which was a world record.
It was the first time a sportsperson actually became a brand in the market like a film or TV star. Jordan’s Slam Dunk also changed the way basketball was played. He was without doubt one of the most popular sportspersons in the world. But it is always debatable considering that soccer being the most globally popular sport in terms of playing and following, would have its legends as GOATs such as Pele, Maradona, Messi and Ronaldo.
Jordan net worth and meeting with Roger Federer in 2015
Michael Jordan’s GOAT status may be a debating matter, but there is no contention about the fact that he is a marketing giant. With an estimated net worth of about a whopping $3 billion (as per Forbes). He has raked in $3.3 billion in lifetime earnings on and off the court. His iconic Jordan brand, in association with Nike, alone earned him $1.8 billion (via Marca). He comfortably sits atop the list of the athletes with highest-career earnings, where Roger Federer comes in ninth.
With career earnings of $1.38 billion, the Swiss legend’s net worth is a cool $550 million. He is significantly behind Jordan, but leads other tennis players by a mile. Federer is the richest and the most marketable tennis player, a global superstar, and can aptly be called tennis’ Jordan.
The two legends crossed paths in 2015 at the Shanghai Masters and Federer took to social media to share a photo with Jordan. The 20-time Grand Slam winner had previously revealed that the American was his childhood hero. They had collaborated in 2014 to create a new shoe for Federer, then a Nike athlete, under the Jordan brand.
