Michael Jordan, Who Drove $3 Billion in Shoe Sales at His Peak, Once Influenced MLB Great Alex Rodriguez to Pick Up an Addictive Habit

Alex Rodriguez has been known for a lot of things over the years. From being a baseball star and analyst to a business tycoon, A-Rod has done it all and everything in between. But what some may not know is that the former Yankee star is a lover of cigars. He credits none other than Michael Jordan for his love of cigars.

Over the years, he has admitted to loving cigars and enjoys smoking them even today. Rodriguez once opened up on his love for cigars and where it originated. During an interview, he spoke about how MJ influenced him and made him pick up the habit.

Alex Rodriguez started loving cigars after playing golf with Michael Jordan

During a 2018 interview with Cigar Aficionado, A-Rod admitted he went from liking cigars to loving them while playing golf with Michael Jordan, who drove $3 billion in shoe sales. He and Jordan smoked a Hoyo de Monterrey Double Corona together. And from that moment, he was hooked.

During the interview, Rodriguez said, “the first time I made a pivot from liking cigars to loving them was while playing golf with Michael Jordan.” He further said, “So not only does Michael sell sneakers—I saw where he’s doing $3 billion in sales in your interview [December 2017]—but he’s a good ambassador for cigars.”

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The habit stuck with A-Rod and he started smoking them more regularly. He even mentioned that he loved smoking them while in Miami. He would sit by the pool and light one up while watching a Yankee game. But it may be surprising that a fitness freak like A-Rod would smoke cigars. Especially considering that he even goes to his girlfriend’s boot camps. But the Yankee star has a lot of special memories associated with smoking cigars as well. 

A-Rod smoked a cigar with his Yankee teammates after winning the 2009 World Series

Rodriguez also talked about the best cigar he’s ever smoked. He said that it was when he was celebrating the 2009 World Series win with his Yankees teammates. The whole team had gone out partying and after that came the special moment. 

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Rodriguez said, “Then we went and had some pizza at one of these open pizza places at five or six in the morning. And right outside, we lit up some cigars… We thought about that entire year. And for me, it was a 15-year wait to be a world champion. That’s the best cigar I’ve ever had.”

By saying this, A-Rod revealed what made him love cigars and the best cigar he had ever smoked. What do you think of the fact that Michael Jordan is the reason that Alex Rodriguez loves cigars? Please share your thoughts in the comments below!