Even before NBA champion teams started refusing to make the traditional courtesy appearance in the White House due to political reasons, the great Michael Jordan was already doing it two decades ago. The motivation behind the Chicago Bulls' legend's decision to skip the visit in 1991, however, was much different.
Chris Young of Yahoo Sports Australia details the exact reason why Jordan was a no-show when the Bulls visited then-United States, President George H.W. Bush, following the team's first NBA title. As it turns out, the 6-foot-6 larger-than-life superstar was actually on the golf course with a very shady personality.
In fact, Jordan was golfing (and gambling) with James ‘Slim’ Bouler, a drug dealer who would eventually be convicted for money laundering.
The federal government seized a check from Jordan to Bouler for $57,000. which Jordan originally claimed was for a loan.
The Bulls champion later testified in court that the money was for what he had lost gambling on golf with Bouler.
Talk about priorities. This sounds like a scene straight out of a movie, but no, this actually happened. Jordan's ugly history with gambling has been well-documented, and this is just one of the best examples of how bad his problem really was. Not to mention the company he chose to surround himself with.
Jordan is perhaps the greatest basketball player of all time and a bonafide Bulls icon, but this did not, by any means, make him a very good role model during his playing days.
Unfortunately, more of these details are slated to come out in the coming days as his documentary series airs on his time with the Bulls organization.
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