So, haven't shared this much over the years, but my brother is really good friends with MJ (my nieces and nephews call him Uncle Mike). They met down at the Atlantis in the Bahamas when Jordan would hold his annual charity golf tournament every year and my brother would go down with his wife and her family during the same time (it was usually over New Years). Coincidentally, they met playing baccarat and have gambled together dozens of times since. Jordan loves the action, but given what he's worth and the amounts he plays, I doubt for a second that he was ever in financial trouble due to gambling. Every time Jordan is in town, or my brother is in a city where he is, they get together.
Interestingly enough, Jordan introduced my brother to Tito at his charity tournament, so now every year, my brother plays with Tito and Kevin Nealon (and whoever the fourth is that Jordan lines up with them). The tournament is now held in Vegas every year, and my brother goes out every year with the wife and kids. He's also become really close to Tito as a result, and texts him pretty regulary, along with former NFL WR, Andre Johnson (I know, odd pairing).
Anyway, don't have much more to add other than I truly believe as does my brother that Jordan just wanted a break, and really wanted to try something different after his father's death. David Stern would have been insane to suspend him. Jordan was never alleged to have gambled on basketball games, so why would Stern even get involved? Because he was gambling on a golf course? At a casino? If you're going to suspend NBA players for that, well....I don't buy it at all. Of course, I was in college when all of this was going down, and I haven't looked at the stories surrounding it in depth since then, when I was mostly drunk, but am I missing something?
Interestingly enough, Jordan introduced my brother to Tito at his charity tournament, so now every year, my brother plays with Tito and Kevin Nealon (and whoever the fourth is that Jordan lines up with them). The tournament is now held in Vegas every year, and my brother goes out every year with the wife and kids. He's also become really close to Tito as a result, and texts him pretty regulary, along with former NFL WR, Andre Johnson (I know, odd pairing).
Anyway, don't have much more to add other than I truly believe as does my brother that Jordan just wanted a break, and really wanted to try something different after his father's death. David Stern would have been insane to suspend him. Jordan was never alleged to have gambled on basketball games, so why would Stern even get involved? Because he was gambling on a golf course? At a casino? If you're going to suspend NBA players for that, well....I don't buy it at all. Of course, I was in college when all of this was going down, and I haven't looked at the stories surrounding it in depth since then, when I was mostly drunk, but am I missing something?