Being a basketball player can take its toll on you. But when you are one of the greatest players ever, there is rarely any chance to be out of the public eye. Thus, Michael Jordan often resorted to spending a lot of time on the golf course. Having similarly been in the spotlight his entire life, Magic Johnson understood precisely why Jordan was passionate about playing golf. In the book Playing for Keeps: Michael Jordan and the World He Made by David Halberstam, Magic Johnson revealed why Jordan used golf as his escape from reality. “Why does he play thirty-six, forty-two holes?
“Michael will go from seven until the sun goes down in the summer. He doesn’t come off the golf course. He stays all day and night—why? Because when he is out there, nobody can bother him. He’s having fun. The world is shut out,” said the Los Angeles Lakers legend on why Jordan loves playing golf. While he was in the NBA, he was constantly surrounded by fans and the media. Along with this, as he was the face of the NBA, he was always required to be the best version of himself. No one expected to see Michael Jordan make a mistake, as he was held in high regard.
So according to Magic Johnson, it was at the golf course where Michael Jordan could be himself. He could place competitive bets with his partners, who played with him and enjoyed the game with an added passion. This is not something he could do when surrounded by people staring at every move that he made.
Magic Johnson once uniquely praised Michael Jordan by denying his request
While talking about the greatness of Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson once revealed how he believes that Michael Jordan is the strongest athlete ever.
He revealed that Michael Jordan once invited him to go out and party. But Magic knew that Jordan could still be himself. Jordan could score 30 even if he was out till 4 a.m., playing golf in the morning, and only getting one hour of sleep before playing in the NBA. So Magic denied him, saying that he does not have the same strength as Jordan.