Michael Jordan is considered by a wide majority of basketball fans to be the greatest player the sport has ever seen. His on-court accolades speak for themselves, but it was the worldwide revolution he created with his brand that really transformed him into an iconic, legendary figure.
Of course, every human being has at least one vice. For MJ, that was most certainly his propensity to gamble. It’s not illegal and Jordan certainly has more than enough money to do whatever he wants with it, but it has definitely soured some people’s opinions of him.
Jay Williams’ Michael Jordan gambling story
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But according to Jay Williams, a former high draft pick of the Chicago Bulls, the gambling issue is systemic within the NBA. He once spoke on The Brilliant Idiots Podcast and detailed how he felt peer pressured to partake during his playing days.
When you see other guys on planes gambling money, you start living that life. I used to have dudes on our team who were messing around with MJ. And MJ was like, ‘Bet it back, bet this back’… Think about gambling to the next degree. Rock, paper, scissors you bet $20,000 all day long. Why wouldn’t you? You get bored… all of a sudden you’re down $100,000 and he’s like, ‘Yo bet it back: rock, paper, scissors for $100,000’.
For Jordan, that was chump change. And for him, it was just a rush of adrenaline. But for players who didn’t own a multi-million dollar company, it wasn’t that simple.
Williams’ NBA career was cut very short due to a motorcycle accident. He made a modest amount of money on his rookie contract, but those lucrative bets with teammates would leave you feeling helpless quickly if you lose too much.
