"I could never consider myself a god" - Michael Jordan felt embarrassed about being adored like God
Unlike many other legendary players in NBA history, Michael Jordan was not only endowed with extraordinary skills. He also exuded a unique charisma that separated him from other iconic sports figures.
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Jordan's remarkable ability to dominate the game led countless fans to believe that he was, without a doubt, the greatest player of all time. Many felt that no other player could ever reach the unparalleled heights he achieved. Some even elevated Jordan to a status that they describe as God-like.
Despite this overwhelming admiration and reverence from the public, Jordan himself was reluctant to accept such lofty comparisons. In fact, he often expressed discomfort with the idea that he was viewed in such a hyperbolic way.
"It's certainly an embarrassing situation for me," Jordan said when asked what it's like to be like God when the Chicago Bulls flew to Paris for a pre-season tournament called the McDonald Championship in 1997.
"I play a game of basketball," he pointed out. "I try to entertain for two hours and then let people go home to their lives. I could never consider myself a god."
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The NBA helped push MJ's God-like status
Throughout the peak of his illustrious career, Jordan consistently demonstrated the remarkable qualities that have led many to consider him the so-called "GOAT." He also totally understood the significance of his impact on the sport and culture as a whole.
With that in mind, Jordan appreciates how people celebrate his legacy and adore him for his greatness. However, he made it clear to everybody that he never saw his status going any further than the greatest of all time, let alone to be likened to God.
As it turned out, the NBA itself helped push this narrative. In promoting the Bulls' visit to Paris, NBA commissioner David Stern himself hyped Jordan's status. The French media then exaggerated it even more.
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"He's the most famous athlete of his time, and perhaps, with Muhammad Ali, of any time," Stern stated at the time. "Michael Jordan came along at the same time that sports marketing developed and that global television had extraordinary growth. There will never be a growth spurt like that again."
Even some players viewed MJ like God
Apparently, it's not only the fans who acknowledged Jordan's God-like fame and status. Even some of his fellow NBA players have implied the same thing.
Larry Bird famously once stated that MJ was "God disguised as Michael Jordan." There were also those who felt like Jordan's presence alone was already sacred.
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"We are in the layup line, and we're out first doing layups, and they start to run out to the floor, we stop in the layup line, and we just watch as they run on to the floor. For us, this is like God, seeing Michael Jordan playing on the floor and now I'm about to play against him? And so, Shawn Kemp ran by and slapped us both in the back of the head like, 'Let's go! We got to play the game!'" Former Cleveland Cavaliers guard Brevin Knight told Brandon 'Scoop B' Robinson in 2020.
Instead of embracing the notion of being a basketball deity, Jordan remained grounded and focused on his craft. His humility, combined with his undeniable talent, ultimately made him not God but a phenomenal and generational athlete.
Related: "Son, that was embarrassing to your mother and I" - Michael Jordan's father convinced him to stay with Nike after nearly walking away
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 3, 2025, where it first appeared.
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