Featured Image Credit: Getty Images
Topics: NBA, Basketball, Chicago Bulls
Daniel Marland
NBA legend Michael Jordan was once shown up in public by a fellow sporting legend after only tipping a Las Vegas waitress $5.
Jordan, who is widely regarded as one of the most successful sportsmen of all time, had an obsession with winning.
That famous competitive streak came in handy and he very rarely came out of a situation on the losing side... but one night in Las Vegas, he did
Advert
Rich Strafella, the former VP of Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas, recalled a brilliant tale of Jordan gambling with ice hockey legend Wayne Gretzky as a waitress brought their drinks.
"I remember a night when Wayne Gretzky insulted Michael Jordan at the table," Strafella said.
"It was a private salon game. Michael had ordered a drink from the cocktail waitress, and he gave her a five-dollar chip.
"Wayne took it off the cocktail waitress's tray, gave it back to Michael, grabbed a hundred-dollar chip from Michael's stack and put it on the cocktail waitress's tray. Then he said, 'That's how we tip in Las Vegas, Michael.'"
Savage stuff from Gretzky, who remains on good terms with MJ.
According to Forbes, Chicago Bulls icon Jordan is worth $3.2 billion thanks to a career which brought him six NBA championships, all of which saw him win finals MVP.
Advert
He's also a savvy businessman and has a number of lucrative deals with the world's biggest brands such as Nike and Gatorade.
The 61-year-old is so flush with cash, he even rejected an eye-watering $100 million for a two-hour appearance.
David Falk, Jordan's representative, has shed light on some of the opportunities Jordan has said no during his time working for him.
Advert
Speaking to WFAN, he explained: "[Jordan] turned down a deal to do a one-day golf appearance when he was in Asia a few years ago for a pre-season game with Charlotte.
"And some woman in the Philippines offered me seven million dollars for one day, wanted him to play in a golf tournament. And he turned it down.
"I brought him a deal three years ago for 100 million dollars.
"And all he had to do, other than give his name and likeness, was make one two-hour appearance to announce the deal. And he turned it down."