Remember the time when Michael Jordan would enter the arena with his luxurious cars? The basketball legend’s garage has always been a testament to his success, housing everything from sleek Aston Martins to commanding Corvettes. However, a recent revelation by former NBA star LaMarcus Aldridge has car enthusiasts and basketball fans buzzing — his Ferrari 599, valued at $385,000, overshadows Jordan’s iconic Ferrari 512 TR, which was worth $276,000.

In a recent podcast appearance, Aldridge, who grew up idolizing Jordan, revealed his own automotive collection, which includes a Maybach and, most notably, the Ferrari 599. “Yeah. So I had, I got the Ferrari 599 and I had the back seat redone where I could fit in it. And then I got the Maybach and then I had one more. I can’t remember the other one, but those are my two big spenders of like, you know, you go from like rookie deal to like, I’m going to go spend $200, $300 on a car. I had the Maybach and then I had the Ferrari,” said Aldridge during the podcast.

Jordan’s love for high-performance vehicles was cast when young. The Ferrari 512 TR, a vehicle His Airness liked cruising around Chicago’s streets during the Bulls’ dynasty days, became part of his flair for combining power with elegance. Jordan’s electric playing style fitted perfectly in the 512 TR, with its 4.9 liter flat 12 engine making 428 horsepower.

The Ferrari 599 isn’t just a luxury purchase, it’s more than that. It shows the transition of automotive excellence between generations. Despite being a radical concept for its time, the 512 TR was groundbreaking for Jordan, but Aldridge’s 599 marks a huge step forward in engineering prowess. The 599 also sports a much more developed 6.0 liter V12 engine, able to dish out 612 horsepower—far and away stronger than even the 512 TR’s already vast 512 horsepower. The technological gap between the two Ferraris reflects the evolution of basketball itself – from the Jordan era to the version of the game Aldridge mastered.

The difference between their respective Ferraris’ prices ($109,000 difference) is more than inflation, but the roaring progression of supercar engineering. Aldridge’s 599 can get from 0-60 mph in 3.7 seconds while Jordan’s 512 TR can only manage 4.8 seconds.

This tale of two Ferraris serves as a reminder that while records are meant to be broken and technology continues to advance, the legacy of mentors like Jordan continues to influence the next generation, both on and off the court. However, did you know that despite the differences in their cars, Aldridge was a great fan of Michael Jordan?

LaMarcus Aldridge and his respect for Michael Jordan

LaMarcus Aldridge, a former NBA All-Star has often spoken about a pivotal moment in his life that involved the legendary Michael Jordan not directly but indirectly. Aldridge, a North Carolina native, had always idolized Jordan, the iconic figure who led the Chicago Bulls to six NBA championships.

Aldridge initially got addicted to d–gs but a letter from the University of Carolina changed his life. During his appearance in an episode of ‘All the Smoke’ podcast, the former power forward revealed how his wake-up story involved Michael Jordan in it. “I don’t remember, the 7th or 8th grade, I was so high. I smoked every morning like I’m going to school high as a kite… Long story short, I get in the gym, I stop sm-king, I’m on time for class. End of the year, I bal-ed out too… I go against all the heavy hitters and I hold my own. End of the year, they be like, ‘Yo, he real.’ So then, I get the first letter of my life was from (the University of North) Carolina, like, ‘You’re on our radar.’ So, in my room, I had a picture of MJ in a frame. I put that bi–h right in the frame. And the rest was history,” said Aldridge during the podcast.

Jordan was an alumnus of Carolina who had led his university to the NCAA Championship in 1982. Following the NBA Goat, every basketball kid’s dream back then was to join the University of Carolina. It can be said that to this day, Aldridge remains grateful for the opportunity to learn from one of the greatest players of all time.