The Last Dance: Michael Jordan Talks About Father's Tragic Death

On the new episode of "The Last Dance" documentary series by ESPN on Sunday, Michael Jordan got emotional when he traveled back in time, reflecting on his relationship with his father. 

   

 View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The Last Dance (@thelastdancenetflix) on May 10, 2020 at 11:01am PDT

Jordan said that his father was his rock, and they were very close. He also said that his dad consistently gave him advice. He remembered being suspended three times in one year during his ninth-grade, so his dad pulled him aside one summer and told him that if he wants to continue doing mischievous things, then he should forget about doing sports. That was Michael Jordan's turning point, and he never got into trouble again after that incident. He said that his father was the voice of reason that always drives him and challenges him; hence, the sudden death of his dad changed his outlook in life forever.

How Michael Jordan's dad died

In 1993, the NBA icon suffered tremendously when his father, James R. Jordan, tragically died a senseless death. On July 23, James pulled off the highway to take a nap and was shot dead while he was sleeping. The two attackers hid James' body into the woods and stole the car. His body was only discovered a month after the tragic incident.

The former Chicago Bulls player said that his mother was strong. He recalled his mom's advice to him during his dad's funeral: she told him to be thankful, and that is when he started looking at the brighter side of everything. He also said that his dad always taught him that he had to take the negative and turn it into positive, thus helping him get through the loss of his dad.

Speculations on Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan was accused of addiction to gambling, and he was also embroiled of scandals related to it. Some commentators also said that these scandals could be the reasons for his dad's death. Jordan said the accusations to him hurt him, but even so, he knows that there are people who wanted to hurt him anyway. He knew that those were not from people who love him or cares for him. He knew that those were the ones who did not want him to be at the top.

 

 View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The Last Dance (@thelastdancenetflix) on Apr 29, 2020 at 1:27am PDT

After having accomplished so much in such a short period, he decided to retire because the weight of his dad's death was so heavy that he no longer had the motivation to continue his game. His then-coach Phil Jackson told him that he is "denying a gift to society," but he understands his reason for leaving.

Michael Jordan's retirement from the NBA

On October 6, 1993, Michael Jordan announced his retirement, and he decided to pursue a career in baseball, so he joined Chicago White Sox and signed a minor league contract with them. He said that it was also his father who encouraged him to play baseball.

Michael Jordan's comeback

In March 1995, he decided to return to the NBA only to make more speculations that he had a "secret suspension" due to his gambling scandals. Even though everyone denied the allegations, rumors continued. Jordan laughs it off because when he retired, he did not have the notion of going back.

When he returned, the Bulls won the championship game, which was Jordan's fourth in total. This win happened on Father's Day in 1996. Jordan broke down sobbing for having won for the first time without his dad to see it.