Charlotte Hornets

Michael Jordan surprisingly admits Twitter era might’ve got the best of him

Published by
Ryan Ward

It is no easy task to be a prominent athlete during the Twitter era in professional sports. Privacy is a thing of the past, while constant criticism and direct interaction with fans have become the norm.

NBA legend Michael Jordan never had to deal with this kind of constant bombardment from the Twittersphere during his playing days and admitted in an interview with Marvin R. Shanken of Cigar Aficionado that it might’ve gotten the best of him.

“But for someone like myself — and this is what Tiger [Woods] deals with — I don’t know if I could’ve survived in this Twitter [era], where you don’t have the privacy that you’d want and what seems to be very innocent can always be misinterpreted,” said Jordan.

This is an interesting admission from Jordan as he’s famously known for using criticism to fuel his motivation on the basketball floor. That was made abundantly clear in “The Last Dance” documentary about his NBA career and final season with the Chicago Bulls.

With the G.O.A.T. debate in full force once again following Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James winning his fourth NBA title, Jordan’s comments will almost certainly cause a bit of a stir on social media.

James has put constant pressure on Jordan over the last few years while breaking records, winning titles, and playing at an elite level at 35 years old.

It’ll be interesting to see how his recent comments impact the G.O.A.T. debate and if it results in James taking another step forward, considering his success in the social media era.

Ryan Ward

Ryan is a veteran sportswriter with nearly a decade of experience covering the NBA and NFL. He has also interviewed numerous players and coaches as a credentialed member of the media. Follow him on Twitter @RyanWardLA.

Published by
Ryan Ward

Recent Posts

‘Michael Jordan ain’t got nothing on me’: Kobe allegedly claimed ‘all the time’ that he was better than M.J.

Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant never lacked supreme confidence during his NBA career, and…

10 hours ago

Report: LeBron James’ camp felt like Pat Riley pulled unfriendly ‘power move’ after star joined Miami Heat

One of the more memorable moments in the history of NBA free agency came when…

1 day ago

Report: Grizzlies players think Jimmy Butler can be ‘OG that they need’ but would also like Udonis Haslem-type vet

After the Memphis Grizzlies' 2023-24 campaign was plagued by injuries and losing, the team has…

1 day ago

Adam Silver says uptick in NBA injuries is partly because American kids play too many games, don’t practice enough

Injuries can be an unfortunate part of life as an NBA player. Basketball is a…

2 days ago

Ex-NBA executive says ‘Ishbia Rule’ will definitely be added at some point in future

As has been the modus operandi under team owner Mat Ishbia, the Phoenix Suns recently…

2 days ago

NBA player says league doesn’t want Jimmy Butler on Suns because they’d be instant contenders

An anonymous NBA player reportedly believes that the league doesn't want Miami Heat star Jimmy…

3 days ago