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NASHVILLE, TN – JUNE 24: Team 23Xi co-owner Michael Jordan on pit road prior to qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series Ally 400 on June 24, 2023 at Nashville SuperSpeedway in Lebanon, TN. (Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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NASHVILLE, TN – JUNE 24: Team 23Xi co-owner Michael Jordan on pit road prior to qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series Ally 400 on June 24, 2023 at Nashville SuperSpeedway in Lebanon, TN. (Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Michael Jordan dominated the league for fifteen seasons, winning six NBA championships and multiple personal accolades. Decades after retiring, MJ took his winning mentality and money to NASCAR. Mike’s NASCAR team 23XI Racing, has been active since 2020. In the upcoming season, Jordan will face off against his old rival, who he dominated in the NBA.
The Cleveland Cavaliers legend, with his own NASCAR team, will be facing Jordan after nearly 30 years of an embarrassing defeat in the NBA. The 5x NBA star is set to take a shot at redemption on the race track.
Legendary ECF rivalry is rekindled after thirty years
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Michael Jordan made many rivals during his time with the Chicago Bulls. Jordan, with his elite trash-talking and out-of-the-world basketball skills, has embarrassed many players and teams. Almost thirty years later, one of the rivals of Jordan is coming back to take revenge for his loss in the Eastern Conference semi-finals of 1983.
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WATKINS GLEN, NEW YORK – AUGUST 08: NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan and co-owner of 23XI Racing looks on from the 23XI Racing pit box during the NASCAR Cup Series Go Bowling at The Glen at Watkins Glen International on August 08, 2021 in Watkins Glen, New York. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
Michael Jordan is set to cross paths with one of his rivals from basketball but in a different sport. Both legends of their game, post their retirement to feed their competitive nature, have bought several sports teams.
Brad Daugherty faced Michael Jordan in the 1993 Eastern Conference Semis. Of course, as we all know now, MJ would win it all that year before proceeding to retire for the first time. Now, the former hoopers have invested in their interest in racing by buying NASCAR teams.?
Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick will lead Jordan’s 23XI in taking on Ricky Stenhouse and Daugherty’s JTG Daugherty Racing.
Michael Jordan and Brad Daugherty last met in the playoffs in May 1993, when the Bulls beat the Cavs in the NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals
Jordan and Daugherty meet again in the NASCAR playoffs 30 years later pic.twitter.com/Fpws5ElC5O
— nascarman (@nascarman_rr) August 28, 2023
It will be interesting to see if the five-time NBA All-Star will get his revenge on Jordan or if His Airness will once again come out victorious.
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The sports ventures of Michael Jordan
After his final retirement from the NBA, Mike set his eyes on other sports to fuel his desire to compete.
Jordan went on to play golf professionally and bought a basketball team. Earlier this year, he netted a massive profit on his sale of the Charlotte Hornets.
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Jordan started a NASCAR team, 23XI, with Denny Hamlin. Jordan paid nearly $150 million to be a part of the circuit. With Bubba Wallace driving the legendary #23 car & Tyler Reddick driving #45, and Jordan?s hunger to win, their future is bright.
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