NBA legend Michael Jordan once bet $100,000 on a simple game of Rock, Paper, Scissors, according to his former Chicago Bulls teammate.
Jordan, who is widely regarded as the greatest basketball player of all time, was known for his supreme talent on the court.
He won many individual accolades including five MVP Awards, ten All-NBA First Team designations, nine All-Defensive First Team honors and 14 NBA All-Star Game selections, to name just a few.
But the former shooting guard was also known to enjoy a spot of gambling throughout his trophy-laden career.
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Jay Williams, who was selected by the Chicago Bulls with the second overall pick in the 2002 NBA Draft, was all too familiar with Jordan's gambling habits.
Speaking on The Brilliant Idiots podcast, Williams gave a fascinating insight into life on the Bulls team with a well-known tale about gambling.
"When you see other guys on planes gambling money, you start living that life," he said.
"I used to have dudes on our team who were messing around with MJ. And MJ was like, ‘Bet it back, bet this back. And I’m like, ‘Why are you fucking with the big bank? Why are you f******g with Brand Jordan? He can’t lose. Last year he made $150 million, how are you messing with him?’"
Williams added: "Think about gambling to the next degree. Rock, paper, scissors you bet $20,000 all day long. Why wouldn’t you? You get bored.
"And don’t get yourself down in the dice game. Don’t be in the corner and let some dude keep fading you out and all of a sudden you’re down $100,000 and he’s like, ‘Yo bet it back -- rock, paper, scissors for $100,000'."
When asked if he considered his gambling habit a problem, Jordan once replied: “No, I enjoy it. It’s a hobby."
He added: "If I had a problem, I’d be starving. I’d be hocking this watch, my championship rings, I would sell my house, I would do this. My wife left me, she’d be starving, my kids would be [starving].
"I do not have a problem. I enjoy gambling.”
Last year, stand-up comedian Cedric the Entertainer opened up on the eye-watering sums of money Jordan once proposed in a game of golf.
Speaking on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Cedric said: "Mike likes to play golf, and then he bets throughout the game and it gets pretty serious. It got out of my pay range very quickly.
"When you play with you Mike, it's always like him and (Derek) Jeter and other baseball players and athletes. The time I played, (Charles) Barkley was with us, and they were playing like ten thousand a hole, $10,000 a hole."
"(Jordan) was like, 'You gotta play, Ced! You gotta play!' And I was like, 'I don't have it, Mike.' I would have to open a second line of credit just to play golf with you guys."
Topics: Michael Jordan, NBA, Basketball
Jack Kenmare