FILE - In this June 14, 1992, file photo, Michael Jordan celebrates the Bulls win over the Portland Trail Blazers in the NBA Finals in Chicago. Photo / AP.
FILE - In this June 14, 1992, file photo, Michael Jordan celebrates the Bulls win over the Portland Trail Blazers in the NBA Finals in Chicago. Photo / AP.
NBA superstar Michael Jordan made countless jaw-dropping plays in stadiums all over America as a player, but some of his post-career, off-court decisions have proved just as stunning.
According to his agent, Jordan once turned down an incredible $152 million for a two-hour appearance, where he just had to turn up to an event.
Jordan has dominated headlines over the last few weeks as his documentary "The Last Dance" was released on Netflix. It's provided a rare chance to see and hear Jordan, who has largely stayed out of the spotlight in retirement.
Jordan's agent, David Falk, has opened up on some occasions when Jordan felt no need to take a chunky pay cheque for a short day's work.
"(Jordan) turned down a deal to do a one-day golf appearance when he was in Asia a few years ago for a pre-season game with Charlotte," Falk told WFAN.
"And some woman in the Philippines offered me seven million dollars for one day, wanted him to play in a golf tournament. And he turned it down.
"I brought him a deal three years ago for 100 million (US) dollars.
"And all he had to do, other than give his name and likeness, was make one two-hour appearance to announce the deal. And he turned it down."
Falk, who was also Boomer Esiason's former agent, said he never wanted to do one-off appearances for Jordan, only long-term marketing deals. Jordan, who is now the principal owner of the Hornets, landed his biggest deals with Nike, McDonald's, Coca-Cola and Gatorade.
FILE - In this June 16, 1998, file photo, NBA Champions, from left: Ron Harper, Dennis Rodman, Scottie Pippen, Michael Jordan and coach Phil Jackson are on stage. Photo / AP.
The turned-down money — on another occasion, Jordan passed up $7 million to play in a one-day golf tournament in Asia, Falk said — was part of a larger point that Falk was trying to make about Jordan's well-known gambling habits.
Many have wondered whether Jordan's 18-month retirement in 1993 was actually a secret suspension for gambling, but Falk said the ESPN documentary gets into it and backs up Jordan's denial.
"[Former NBA commissioner David] Stern comes on and basically says it's complete hogwash that he suspended Michael for 18 months when he retired," Falk said. "At the end of the day, Michael was almost Teflon. There's very few things people criticized him for. The gambling thing was it. He loves to gamble. He's an extremely competitive guy. If he loses $150,000 playing golf, big freaking deal. If I told him tomorrow, 'Hey, I've got an appearance for you for five minutes for $150,000,' he'd laugh at me. If it was $1,500,000, he wouldn't do it.
FILE - In this June 14, 1992, file photo, Michael Jordan celebrates the Bulls win over the Portland Trail Blazers in the NBA Finals in Chicago. Photo / AP.
"So yes, he lost money in gambling and it sort of had a little bit of a black eye for five minutes. He apologized and the thing went away. But any of these Oliver Stone conspiracy theories that somehow it pushed him out of basketball were ridiculous."
Jordan's sponsorship deal with Nike's Air Jordan range earns the American around $200 million-a-year, according to Forbes.
After signing up with the likes of Coca-Cola, McDonald's and Chevrolet during his playing days, Jordan cut back his commitments after his third retirement but remains tied to a handful of brands, including Gatorade.
That kept the Chicago Bulls legend's non-Nike earnings at a healthy $23 million in 2019 and his net worth is esimated to be $3.15 billion, largely down to his majority stake in the Charlotte Hornets NBA team.
