?He?s Gonna Be Crucified on TV?: Michael Jordan Once Had a Crucial Disclaimer for Golf Legend Tiger Woods for the ?Social Pressures? in His Career

NBA legend Michael Jordan has had many high-profile friends from different sports. Among them, golf legend Tiger Woods is a very close friend of MJ. In 1996, Woods turned pro at the age of 20. In just one year, he went on to win 3 PGA tour events and his first major. Woods won the 1997 Majors by 12 strokes in a record-breaking performance. And with it came huge popularity and superstardom. To which Michael Jordan is no stranger. In 1997, during an interview with Slam magazine, Jordan said that he feels sorry for the golf superstar.

The interviewer asked whether he feels sorry for the young Tiger Woods. “Mmm-hmm. He doesn?t know what he?s got to deal with…” MJ said about the pressure that comes with being a superstar. He added that the hype and expectations from Woods would be 10 times higher than what Jordan himself had created in the sports arena. The Bulls legend also said that it would be harder for Woods because he plays an individual sport.

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He said that he could afford to have a bad game in a team sport because his teammates could help him. However, that won’t be the case for individual games like golf. So if Woods has a bad game, the pressure will be on him. And it will be huge because of his superstardom.

Michael Jordan doesn’t wish he was Tiger Woods

Jordan said, “If I have a bad game, we still can win. He has a bad game, he?s gonna be crucified?on TV. It?s totally unfair. He?s in a game where he represents minorities, in all respects, so it hadn?t been?historically?there hadn?t been?that many in the situation that he is. He?s certainly feeling?he carries those types of social pressures.”

The interviewer then asked whether Jordan wishes he was Woods. And he said that he wouldn’t. Then the host asked whether the two have played golf together. MJ admitted that they have and said that Woods was a good kid and he could hit. He also said that Woods doesn’t intimidate him on the golf course and added that Woods won’t be intimidated by him on the basketball court.

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The duo later went on to become close friends. However, the friendship was short-lived. After Woods’ infidelity scandal in 2009, the two stopped hanging out. Some even accused Jordan of being a bad influence on the golf superstar. However, Woods declined those allegations. There were also reports that the duo used to go to Las Vegas and gamble together.

Do you think Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods were the most high-profile friends in sports? Let us know in the comments.