Topics: Michael Jordan, NBA, Basketball, Chicago Bulls
It took Michael Jordan 11 years to sell his iconic mansion near Chicago.
The basketball GOAT enjoyed a storybook career with the Chicago Bulls after entering the NBA as the third overall pick in the 1984 NBA draft.
He went on to win six NBA championships, five Most Valuable Player awards, six Finals MVPs, one Defensive Player of the Year award, a record 10 scoring titles and was named an All-Star 15 times.
Jordan was also the most marketable sportsman of the 1990s, accruing a fortune through sponsorship deals with Nike and other companies that would make him the wealthiest basketball player of all time, with a net worth in 2025 estimated to be a whopping $3.5 billion.
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In 1995, at the peak of his fame, Jordan used part of that fortune to construct a purpose-built mansion in Highland Park, Illinois.
The spectacular two-storey home boasted nine bedrooms and 19 baths. It also had a full-size basketball court, a putting green, an infinity pool, a tennis court, a cigar room, a 14-car garage and and iconic gateway bearing his famous No.23 jersey number.
Jordan first tried to sell the house in 2013, listing it for an asking price of $29 million.
But the Bulls superstar struggled for years to find a buyer.
And one agent tasked with selling the property has revealed a bizarre request he'd often receive from prospective buyers.
"The pricing strategy was more than fair," the real estate agent told Business Insider. "It was just a matter of capturing the right story to bring in the right buyer.
"I would get calls directly from qualified buyers asking about it. I would also get a lot of silly and fun calls like, "Hey, can I play Michael one-on-one for the house?"
Jordan never did play anyone for the right to win his mega-mansion, but he did finally shift his former home last year.
However, the NBA icon had to accept a seriously reduced offer for the property, with the eventual $9.5 million sale representing a 67 per cent price cut from the original asking price.
