Michael Jordan had a priceless response when a Hollywood A-lister asked to play him in a movie.
Jordan is one of the most recognisable names in the world of sports following his legendary exploits in basketball.
So, a biopic about the Chicago Bulls icon would undoubtedly be a hit.
An actor like Idris Elba would fit the bill perfectly to play the GOAT.
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However, the six-time NBA champion turned down the offer, claiming he wasn't ready for a biopic to be made about him just yet.
Jordan's career on the court and his life outside the sporting world would be a dream role for anyone and there'd be no shortage of candidates to play the role.
However, Elba, who has starred in superhero movies such as Thor, Avengers and The Suicide Squad, famously played Nelson Mandela in the biographical film Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom, where he was nominated for a Golden Globe.
In an episode of Complex’s Sneaker Shopping, the film star recounted his conversation with 'MJ.'
He told host Joe La Puma: "I even said to him one time, 'I want to play you'.
"He was like, 'Hm, I’m not ready yet'. That’s what he said, 'I’m not ready yet'... I was dead serious."
Elba detailed how he would portray Michael Jordan in the potential role, looking beyond his career as an athlete.
He continued: "In my head, playing Jordan wouldn’t be about playing the basketball player; it was about the businessman.
"He is a very astute businessman, really smart. And his work as a philanthropist is unspoken, but people don’t understand the work. He cares; he does a lot of work.
"So that’s where I was hinting at. I wanna play Jordan - I’m doing that. He was like, 'Ah, I’m not ready for that story yet'."
Topics: Michael Jordan, Basketball, NBA
Nasir Jabbar