There are few bigger superstars in the world of sports, if any, that come close to the star power of the great Michael Jordan. The Chicago Bulls icon is the GOAT for a reason, and there's no denying that he's become one of the most influential figures in the history of the game.

This is exactly why award-winning actor Idris Elba wants to take on the challenge of playing Michael Jordan in a future movie. According to the 49-year-old British actor, however, MJ rejected him outright when he pitched the idea to the six-time NBA champ:

“I even said to [Jordan] one time, ‘I want to play you,'” Elba said in a recent episode of Complex's Sneaker Shopping (h/t Darryn Albert of Larry Brown Sports). “He was like, ‘Hmmm, I’m not ready yet.’ That’s what he said. ‘I’m not ready yet.’ I was dead serious.

“In my head, playing Jordan wouldn’t be about the basketball player,” Elba added. “It was about the businessman. He is a very astute businessman, really smart … So that’s where I was hinting at. I was like, ‘I wanna play Jordan. I’m doing that.’ He was like, ‘Ah, I’m not ready for that story yet.'”

Elba, who emerged as a favorite among fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe for his role as Heimdall in the Thor saga, is a very diverse actor and I can definitely see him play the role of the great Michael Jordan in a film. As it turns out, however, MJ himself just doesn't see this happening anytime soon.